NEWBERRY, S.C. --- The Newberry College softball team survived a pair of late-inning rallies to sweep a doubleheader with Tusculum College on Saturday, defeating the Pioneers 1-0 in game one before edging Tusculum 6-5 in a thrilling night cap on the final day of the South Atlantic Conference regular season.
Newberry (29-11, 9-7 SAC) and Tusculum (14-24, 5-11 SAC) each recorded nine hits on the day, as the teams combined for five errors (TC 3, NEW 2). Amanda Huckestein paced the Scarlett and Gray with three hits, all doubles, while recording each of Newberry's five runs batted in. Tiffany Pigage and Aissa Gatewood each tallied two base knocks for Newberry.
Huckestein (18-6) turned in a dominating pitching performance in the opener, tossing a complete game shutout while scattering three hits and striking out 14. Kristin Hicks (4-1) got the nod in game two, allowing four runs on five hits and striking out two in six innings of work. Huckestein entered in the seventh, allowing one run on one hit and recording one strikeout to pick up the save.
Sophomores Savannah Ewing and Phlyscia Powell paced the Pioneers with two hits each, including Ewing's first career home run in game two. Ewing and Ashley Burke each tallied two RBI on the day to lead the team.
Holli Cadenhead (6-11) pitched well enough to win in game one, allowing one unearned run on one hit in seven innings of work, retiring the final 16 batters she faced to keep Tusculum within striking distance. Erin Searcy made the start in game two, allowing three runs (two earned) on three hits in two and two-thirds innings of work en route to a no-decision. Elizabeth Johnson (2-4) logged the final three and one-third frames for the Pioneers, allowing three unearned runs on five hits.
Game One: Newberry 1, Tusculum 0 (Box Score)
Newberry got on the board early in game one, pushing across the afternoon's first run in the bottom of the first on a two-out error by the Pioneers that allowed Gatewood to score from second, giving the Scarlett and Gray an early 1-0 lead.
Huckestein took a no-hitter into the sixth inning when Jett stroked a 3-2 pitch into center field for a lead-off single. Bagley followed with a bunt single to second, allowing pinch-runner Tasha Morrell to move up to second and giving the Pioneers a pair of base runners with no outs. The Newberry defense responded, doubling off the lead runner at second for an inning-ending double play to quell the rally attempt.
Game Two: Newberry 6, Tusculum 5 (Box Score)
Newberry opened the scoring with three runs in the third, including a two-run double by Huckestein, to take an early 3-0 lead. Tusculum answered with two runs in the fifth, when Ewing launched a two-out, two-run home run over the fence in left center with Morrell on first to cut the margin to 3-2.
The Pioneers continued the rally in the sixth, opening the frame with singles by MacDonald and Powell, who then advanced to second and third on a passed ball to give TC two runners in scoring position with no outs. After Newberry retired the next two batters, Burke delivered a clutch two-run single down the left field line, plating MacDonald and Powell to give the Pioneers a 4-3 lead.
Newberry would answer in the bottom of the inning, plating three runs to reclaim the lead at 6-4. After Sara Powell led off the frame and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt, Whitney Whiles and Gatewood reached on back-to-back Pioneer errors, with Powell scoring on the second miscue to knot the score at 4-4. Huckestein followed two batters later with a two-run double down the left field line, scoring Whiles and Gatewood to give Newberry the 6-4 lead.
Huckestein then entered in relief in the seventh, retiring the first batter of the inning before Ewing roped a one-out double into left center field to kick start another Pioneer rally. Ewing then advanced to third on the ensuing groundout, bringing MacDonald to the plate with two outs representing the tying run.
MacDonald answered, lifting the 0-2 pitch to center that was misplayed by the Newberry centerfielder, allowing Ewing to cross the plate and cut the margin to 6-5. Huckestein then shut the door, notching her first save of the season with an inning-ending strikeout to preserve Newberry's second one-run win of the day.
Tusculum returns to the diamond on Sunday when the Pioneers travel to Bristol, Va. for a 2 p.m. doubleheader with Virginia Intermont College.
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