NEWBERRY — Sophomore Ethan LeBron (Lexington) pitched a complete game one-run victory in the opening game of the 2023 South Atlantic Conference baseball tournament as the No. 10 Newberry College (37-9) baseball team picked up an 11-1 win over the Pioneers of Tusculum University at the Smith Road Complex on Friday, April 28.
LeBron went the full nine-inning stretch, allowing just four hits on the night while striking out a pair. With the help of his defense recording 14 flyouts and nine groundouts, LeBron only allowed a single run while slightly eclipsing the century mark on pitches, tossing 110 in the contest.
He received run support from the entire line-up as every starter in the contest for the Wolves was able to record a hit, led by sophomore Jesse Free (Moncks Corner) who posted three hits on the night with a pair of RBIs. Junior Henry Gibson (Walterboro) and sophomore Jomar Lugo (San Sebastian, P.R.) each were able to add a pair of RBIs to the tally as well. Senior Braylin Marine (Freeport, N.Y.) also recorded two hits in the contest.
Each team was able to move runners into scoring position in the opening frame, including a bases loaded opportunity for Newberry, but neither was able to get a run across the plate. The score stayed deadlocked at zero until the bottom of the third when the Wolves were able to break open the floodgates with six runs in the frame.
A pair of lead-off singles by junior Jacob LeBron (Lexington) and Marine put runners on the corners and a failed play at the plate on the next at-bat brought around the first run for the Wolves. A double and another two singles for Newberry brought across another three runs before a wonderfully executed sacrifice bunt by Lugo plated the fifth run of the frame. Sophomore Donovan Ford (Greenville) knocked a single up the middle that brought in the final run, giving Newberry the 6-0 lead after three.
Tusculum was able to scratch across a run in the top of the fifth, but Newberry was able to respond in the bottom of the frame with a pair of runs added to their tally. An RBI-single by Lugo followed by a defensive miscue for the Pioneers brought in the runs, giving the Wolves the 8-1 advantage. The Wolves were able to add another two runs in the bottom of the seventh and another in the eighth to wrap up the scoring in their 11-1 victory.