AUSTIN, Texas- The Newman softball team was swept at St. Edward's this weekend, 2-1, 9-4, and 2-0 at Diane Daniels Field.

Game 1:

Newman (3-19, 1-6 Heartland) got the scoring started early, when senior Steph Harshberger cleared the left field wall for a solo home run in the top of the first. Starter Sarah Fipps held St. Edward's (22-15, 6-1 Heartland) in check for three innings, until the Hilltoppers struck in the bottom of the fourth, to tie the game at 1-1. 

The Jets threatened in the sixth when Harshberger walked, after Erin Carney was retired on a bunt. Harshberger advanced to second following an Erin Monday single, but Emily Mayfield retired Briana Hallacy and Katie Traffas to end the threat. St. Edward's gained the lead half an inning later, when they converted two hits and a Jet error into a run. Newman couldn't rally in the seventh, and the Hilltoppers closed out the 2-1 win.

Five Jets notched base hits in the game. Fipps went six innings, giving up two runs on six hits, and stuck out four batters.

Game 2:

St. Edward's (23-15, 7-1 Heartland) wasted no time in Friday's second game, using one hit and two stolen bases to take a 2-0 lead after one inning. Newman (3-20, 1-7 Heartland) clawed back half an inning later. Katie Traffas and Sarah Balderas led off the inning with back-to-back walks, and advanced to third and second on a wild pitch. Erin Carney and Sarah Stutts followed lead with back-to-back walks to score the Jets' first run of the game. Kaitlyn Padilla's single to left field drove in Balderas and Carney to take a 3-2 lead. Briana Hallacy's single to left field advanced Stutts to third and Padilla to second. An Erin Monday walk plated Stutts, and gave Newman a 4-2 advantage. 

Neither team could get the offense rolling for the next two innings, until the Hilltoppers used an error on Padilla to score in the fourth to cut the deficit to 4-3. The Jets couldn't get the offense rolling, and St. Edward's scored two runs in the fifth, and exploded for four runs in the sixth to take Game 2, 9-4.

Erin Monday continued her comeback with a 2-for-3 performance at the plate. 

Game 3:

Newman (3-21, 1-8 Heartland) wasn't able to come back offensively in Saturday's finale. St. Edward's (24-15, 8-1 Heartland) used three hits to score the games first run in the bottom of the first. Sophomore Sarah Fipps held the Hilltoppers in check until the fifth inning, when St. Ed's plated a single run, and took a 2-0 lead. Sarah Debrow took the Jets' basts out of their hand for the afternoon, holding Newman to two hits, and struck out six en route to the 2-0 sweep. Briana Hallacy and Peyton Riedel recorded the only hits for the Jets in the loss.

The Jets return to Newman Softball Park on Wednesday when Emporia State comes to Wichita for a doubleheader. First pitch is scheduled for 5 p.m.

--www.newmanjets.com--