Colby Martin’s one-hitter carries Saluda past Newberry, 2-0

The Newberry High School softball team played one of its best defensive games of the season at a crucial time.

But it just wasn’t enough to overcome an outstanding pitching performance by Saluda’s Colby Martin as the Tigers defeated the Bulldogs 2-0 Friday in Newberry.

Martin gave up just one hit, while striking out 11. The Tigers’ senior allowed just three baserunners in the game.

“We just couldn’t get started at the plate,” Newberry coach Amy Scott said. “(Martin) does a great job. She keeps the ball low, she keeps it away from you. She can be very good and hard to hit.”

The Bulldogs’ lone hit was a third-inning liner up the middle by Larissa Shannon. Shannon had an even bigger hit against Martin last year — an RBI extra-basehit that lifted the Bulldogs to the Region III-2A championship.

Shannon was walked to leadoff the seventh, but Martin induced grounders to the next three batters to end the game.

The loss dropped the defending region champions to 0-5 in league at the midway point of the season.

Newberry and Strom Thurmond are currently three games in the win column out of fourth place in the league standings.

Only the top four teams will make the 2-A state playoffs.

“(Improvement) is the big key,” Scott said. “As crazy as things have been in this region, you just never know until it’s all said and done. Our kids woke up and played (well) against Mid-Carolina and we carried it over into this game. Hopefully over Spring Break, we’ll get that practice time in and start hitting the ball.”

The Bulldogs have been plagued by errors all season long, but committed just three behind senior pitcher Sarah Moseley.

Moseley surrendered just four hits, while striking out four. The three Newberry errors, including two on one at-bat, led to both Tiger runs in the third and fourth innings.

“Sarah performed well for us (against Mid-Carolina) and had that same intensity and pitched super,” Scott said. “We had runners in scoring position and got out of it a couple of times.”

The ‘Dogs will be off for spring break and are scheduled to travel to region-leader Gilbert next Tuesday. Newberry still has to play a makeup game against Strom Thurmond that has been postponed twice for rain.