GAFFNEY, S.C. – Rebounding from their loss on Saturday to open their conference slate, the Newberry College (14-4, 2-1 SAC) baseball team bounced back with a doubleheader sweep to take the weekend series 2-1 over the Saints of Limestone University on Sunday, March 5.
Freshman Bennett Roemer (Bluffton, S.C.) took home the win in the opening nine-inning affair while sophomore Tyler Chinpire (Jupiter, Fla.) picked up the W in the second game of the day. Senior Braylin Marine (Freeport, N.Y.) and junior Henry Gibson (Walterboro, S.C.) each recorded four RBIs in one of the two games while Gibson added two more in the early game. Junior Jacob LeBron (Lexington, S.C.) posted four RBIs between the two contests, including a trio in the late game.
Game One: Newberry 12, Limestone 6
The Wolves and Saints traded an opening frame with zeros on both halves on the scoreboard before Limestone was able to scratch across a run in the bottom of the second to take the early lead. However, the Wolves responded in the top of the third with a run of their own as sophomore Donovan Ford (Greenville, S.C.) notched an RBI to bring the score back level.
Both teams went three-up, three-down in their next half innings while Limestone added another run to their tally in the bottom of the fourth to take the 2-1 lead. However, the momentum would fully swing in favor of Newberry in the top of the fifth as they turned in six runs in the frame. The highlight of the inning came off the bat of Gibson who took the first pitch of a new pitcher for the Saints and launched it over the fence in right field, bringing around half of the Wolves runs in the inning, giving Newberry the 7-2 advantage.
The Wolves added three more runs to their tally in the top of the seventh with a pair of bunt singles that scored one run and left runners in scoring position. A single by junior Rhett Jolly (Edgefield, S.C.) knocked a single to left center field later in the inning to bring around two more runs and give Newberry the 10-2 lead. Limestone put together a four-run inning in the bottom of the seventh, but Newberry added two more runs to the board in the top of the eighth and both teams were shut out the rest of the way as the Wolves picked up the 12-6 win.
Game Two: Newberry 17, Limestone 0
Newberry carried their offensive momentum from the first game into the second as they were able to post a single run on the board in the opening frame of action to take the lead and never give it back. However, it wouldn't be till the top of the third when they were able to add to that advantage as they turned in another pair of runs to their total, stretching their lead to 3-0 with Marine and Gibson each recording a RBI in the frame.
Two more runs found their way onto the scoreboard in the top of the fourth before exploding for six runs in the top of the fifth to take an 11-0 lead after five complete innings. The Wolves were able to string a trio of singles together in the middle of the frame to account for four of the six runs in the fifth. Not to be outdone, Newberry added four more runs in the top of the sixth and added an additional two runs in the top of the seventh off a two-run blast by senior Joe LaFiora (Philadelphia, Pa.) to wrap up the Wolves 17-0 victory.
Newberry returns to action on Tuesday, March 7 as they welcome in Anderson University to the Smith Road Complex for a non-conference match-up slated for a 6:00 p.m. first pitch.
