WICHITA - Senior night for the 2011 Newman softball senior class most likely won't be one they will want to remember in the future, as Southwestern Oklahoma State spoiled the night by sweeping the Jets in Wednesday's doubleheader. The Bulldogs held off a late Newman rally for a 14-10 win in the opener, then needed just over an hour to pick up an 8-0 run-rule decision in the finale.

Game 1: Southwestern Oklahoma State 14, Newman 10
A late rally made things interesting in Wednesday's opener, but the Jets came up four runs short as Southwestern Oklahoma State (17-15) picked up the 14-10 win to open the doubleheader.

The Bulldogs struck first with a single run in the first, but Newman (7-25) responded when Emily Zimmerman, who was hit by a pitch to open the inning, scored on a sacrifice ground-out to third by Erin Monday. After the opening inning, the game was tied at 1-1.

SWOSU stole the show for the next three innings, scoring a run in the second, and two runs in both the third and fourth innings, all while holding Newman scoreless to take a 6-1 lead after four innings. But the Bulldogs made their statement in the fifth, pounding out seven runs on seven hits and taking advantage of a Newman error to take a 13-1 into the bottom of the fifth.

Newman was far from finished, however. Zimmerman opened the Newman fifth with a single up the middle, then moved to second on a Steph Harshberger single to center field. Both runners advanced a base on a Lauren Rorebeck single to right-center to load the bases for the Jets. It wasn't long before the Bulldogs started giving Newman runs. Tracey Stefanski reached on a fielding error at shortstop to keep the bases loaded. Katie Traffas followed with a bases-loaded walk to score Newman's second run of the inning. Briana Hallacy took control of the situation in her turn at bat, doubling to left-center to clear the bases as three runs crossed the plate. By the end of the fifth, Newman had earned new life, and trailed 13-6.

The Bulldogs added another run in the sixth to take a 14-6 lead, but the Jets responded with a run of their own when Erin Monday, who reached on a fielder's choice, scored on a Rorebeck double to right field. After six innings, the Jets had narrowed the SWOSU lead to 14-7.

Newman made its final stand in the seventh, and used the long ball to get there. Hallacy opened the inning with a solo home run over the left field fence. Molly Edwards followed with an infield-single, which helped Zimmerman's cause as the senior sent a pitch over the right-center field fence for a two-run shot that pulled Newman to within four, 14-10. But that was all she wrote for the Jets, who came up four runs short of the comeback.

Emily Zimmerman and Briana Hallacy each finished 3-for-4 in the contest. Zimmerman added three runs and two RBI, while Hallacy added one run and four RBI. Steph Harshberger finished with a 3-for-5 outing at the plate, adding a run in the process. Newman starter Stephanie Smolsky was hit with the loss, falling to 5-15 in the process.

Game 2: Southwestern Oklahoma State 8, Newman 0
The same bats that produced 15 hits in Wednesday's opener were nearly silent in the nightcap. Southwestern Oklahoma State (18-15) drew first blood striking for two runs in the second inning, then added four in the third and two more in the fifth. Newman (7-26) was limited to just two hits in the contest, an Emily Zimmerman double in the first, and a Briana Halacy single in the second, and were unable to produce any runs in the contest.

SWOSU starter Cassie Chambless faced just 19 Newman batters in the contest. Newman starter Erin Schmidt was tagged with the loss, falling to 0-1 on the season.

After Wednesday's sweep, the Jets fall to 7-26 on the season. They will hit the road for their final Heartland Conference contests of the season, traveling to Goodwell, Okla., to challenge the Oklahoma Panhandle State Aggies.