NEWBERRY, S.C. – A pair of tight games came down to the wire at the Smith Road Complex on Saturday, April 15 as the No. 5 Newberry College (33-8, 16-4 SAC) baseball team was able to pick up a doubleheader split with the Bulldogs of Wingate University in league action.
While the Wolves were able to scatter nine hits in the early game, they fell one run short in the end, though four different Wolves were able to record RBIs in the contests with sophomores Donovan Ford (Greenville, S.C.) and Jomar Lugo (San Sebastian, P.R.) posting two hits each in the first game. Sophomore Jesse Free (Monck's Corner, S.C.) notched two hits in the second, including the game-winning hit.
Game One: Wingate 5, Newberry 4
Each team was able to post a hit in the opening frame from their lead-off batters, but neither was able to put a run on the board. In fact it wasn't until the top of the third when Wingate was able to post the first run on the board with an RBI-single that gave them the early lead. The Wolves responded with a pair of runs in the bottom of the frame to take their first lead of the series. A hard ground out and a RBI-single by senior Braylin Marine (Freeport, N.Y.) to give Newberry the 2-1 lead.
That lead held until the top of the fifth when the Bulldogs were able to pull back even. They further swung ahead in the top of the sixth before posting a fourth run in the top of the eighth to take the 4-2 lead. Newberry was able to tie up the contest again in the bottom of the frame with pair of runs off of RBI-hits from sophomore Kade Faircloth (Oviedo, Fla.) and junior Rhett Jolly (Edgefield, S.C.).
A wild pitch in the top of the ninth gave Wingate the lead again and though the Wolves were able to move a runner to third in the bottom of the inning, they would leave him stranded, dropping the opener 5-4.
Game Two: Newberry 3, Wingate 2
The Wolves were able to take an early lead in the first inning as a pair of defensive miscues brought Ford around the base path and plated the first run, giving Newberry the 1-0 lead. It looked as though that lead might stand the test of time, but the Bulldogs were able to plate a pair in the top of the fifth to take the lead back over, 2-1.
The Wolves were resilient throughout the late game as they were able to plate a pair of runs in the bottom of the sixth with two-outs on the board with a RBI-single by Faircloth followed by the game-winning single by Free to move the advantage for the Wolves to 3-2. Sophomore Trevor Linaman (Wellford, S.C.) was able to work out of a jam in the top of the seventh to shut down the Bulldogs, picking up the save and giving Newberry the 3-2 win.
The Wolves return to action on Tuesday, April 18 for another test as they take on the Trojans of Mount Olive at a neutral site contest in Florence, S.C.
