WICHITA- The Newman softball team knocked Oklahoma Panhandle State out of Heartland Conference tourney contention with a 2-0, 5-4 (9) sweep of the Aggies on Friday at Newman Softball Field.

Game 1:

Neither team could get any baserunners around the bases until Newman (6-28, 2-11 Heartland) did in the fourth inning. Following a Steph Harshberger ground-out, Erin Monday singled through the right side, and advanced to second on a Kelsey Jones single. After Katie Traffas' fly-out, Monday and Jones moved into scoring position following a passed ball. Sarah Fipps' single through the left side scored both runners, and gave the Jets a 2-0 lead.

Fipps continued her strong finish to the season, by holding Oklahoma Panhandle State (18-25, 3-10 Heartland) to seven hits, and striking out two Aggies en route to the 2-0 victory. Fipps ended the first game with a 2-for-2 performance at the plate to lead the Newman offense.

Game 2:

The doubleheader finale saw plenty of fireworks. Oklahoma Panhandle State (18-26, 3-11 Heartland) wasted little time getting  on the board, after failing to do so in Game 1. The Aggies scored one run on two hits, and used an error by Briana Hallacy to take a 1-0 lead. 

OPSU added a single run in the third, before Newman (7-28, 3-11 Heartland) joined the party. Hallacy led the inning off by reaching on an error by the third baseman, and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Steph Harshberger. Erin Monday's double down the left field line plated Hallacy to cut the lead to 2-1. Katie Traffas pushed Monday to third with a single, and Sarah Fipps scored Monday with a sacrifice fly to center field to tie the game at 2-2.

In the bottom half of the sixth, the Jets took their first lead of the game. Following an Erin Monday pop-up to the shortstop, Traffas lifted a pitch to left field for a double. Sarah Fipps followed suit with a shot to center field that scored Traffas, and gave Newman a 3-2 lead.

The Aggies took the lead half an inning later with a triple down the left field line with two outs, that gave OPSU a 4-3 edge. Newman answered in its final at-bat when Kaitlyn Padilla singled to left field. Steph Harshberger's walk put Padilla in scoring postion, and Erin Monday's single to right center plated Padilla to push the game into extra innings.

Both teams went scoreless in the eighth inning, and the Jets finished the job in the bottom of the ninth. After a Padilla ground out, Briana Hallacy walked and advanced to second on another Harshberger sacrifice bunt. OPSU intentionally walked Erin Monday, and walked Traffas to set the stage for Sarah Fipps. Fipps delivered with a single that barely stayed fair, that served the game-winning run, and the 5-4 win.

Four Jets recorded multi-hit games, led by Fipps' 3-for-4 performance, adding three RBI's to her total. The series finale is scheduled for 10 a.m. at Newman Softball Field.

--www.newmanjets.com--