EASLEY — It shall forever be known as Walk-Off Day throughout the City of Newberry.
Four hours after Newberry’s softball team got a walk-off three-run homer from Hannah Davis, Tyler White’s walk-off single propelled the 24th-ranked baseball team to a doubleheader sweep of visiting Mars Hill and prompted a good-hearted proclamation from Mayor Foster Senn.
“It is official. With the great, dramatic wins today for @NewberrySports SB and BB, it is declared Walk-Off Day in @CityofNewberry.”
— Foster Senn (@fostersenn) March 17, 2019
The baseball wins, by scores of 14-5 and 2-1, improved Newberry’s overall record to 22-7, its South Atlantic Conference mark to 8-1, and its record at the Smith Road Complex to an eye-popping 15-0 on the 2019 season.
It also provided Russell Triplett with his 249th career win at the helm of the Newberry program and kept the Wolves in first place in the conference standings.
Not bad for a day’s work.
White’s single into left field was the difference in the thrilling final chapter of the doubleheader, but the day belonged to freshman right-handed pitcher Josh Bookbinder.
The Easley native allowed a run to the Lions (11-14, 2-8 SAC) on three hits, struck out five without a walk, and lowered his ERA to 2.91 in the complete-game win. He allowed two hits and a run in the first inning but locked in from that point, retiring 16 in a row beginning with the final out of the first inning, and found the strike zone with 61 of his 88 pitches.
Bookbinder allowed a pinch-hit single to begin the seventh inning but got a fly ball and a popup for two quick outs. Chase Barbary gunned down the runner on what would have been a wild pitch to set the table for the final inning.
Peyton Spangler led off with a single into center field and moved to second on Dalton Lansdowne’s sacrifice bunt. A groundout to the right side put the winning run at third base before Zane Tarrance was hit by a pitch and advanced to second on defensive indifference.
White took a strike and fouled off another before golfing a low pitch inside the chalk in left field for the game-winner. He was promptly mobbed in shallow right-center by a gaggle of teammates that doused him with several bottles of water and dogpiled around him in the grass.
“Officially petitioning Mayor @FosterSenn to declare today Walk-Off Day throughout the City of Newberry.”
— Newberry Wolves (@NewberrySports) March 16, 2019
The win followed a 14-5 thumping of the Lions in Game One of the doubleheader that saw Newberry pound out 17 hits.
Senior center fielder Danton Hyman had one of the best games of his career. The Lions were He went 4-for-4 at the plate, walked twice, scored four runs, and batted in a pair. With a hit in Game Two, Hyman has active streaks of 16 games with a hit and 36 games in which he has reached safely.
Zane Tarrance and Ian Clements each had three hits in the contest, with Clements totaling a game-high three RBI’s. Eight Newberry starters finished the game with at least one hit.
The Lions led briefly in the third inning and remained in contention with the score knotted at three before a disastrous fifth inning that saw Newberry send 11 men to the plate, score seven runs on seven hits, and take advantage of two Mars Hill errors.
Tomas Sorcia Jr. earned the win with seven strong innings of work. He gave up three runs on 10 hits and tallied seven punchouts against one walk. Aaron Copeland worked the final two innings to wrap up the win.
