CHARLOTTE, N.C. – From a go-ahead home run and a triple play to extra innings and a game-tying home run when down to the last out, the No. 21 Queens University of softball team escaped Friday's doubleheader against conference foe Newberry with two wins in its first two games at Park Road Park since Feb. 9. 
 
In Game One, Madison Ackerman pinch-hit and smacked a go-ahead home run in the bottom of the sixth inning to propel the Royals to a 5-4 victory. In Game Two, it was Abby Lathan hitting a two-run shot with two outs in the bottom of the seventh, forcing extra innings in a game Queens went on to win in walk-off fashion in nine innings by a score of 10-9. The Royals trailed 8-2 heading into the bottom of the sixth before scoring six consecutive runs in two innings to force extra innings.
 
Sydney Ditto, the team leader in runs scored with 37, slid into home base as Game Two's winning run after stealing third and advancing home on an errant throw from the Newberry catcher.
 
The Royals improve to 26-4 on the season and 3-1 in conference play. Newberry falls to 18-12 this year and 1-3 against South Atlantic Conference opponents.
 
Queens hit a total of six long balls on the day including four in Game One and two from Lathan, one in each game. Kelly Winter started things with a two-run line drive over the right-center field wall followed by a solo shot from Lathan. Sara Ingoldsby then hit her first home run of the season over the fence in right field before Ackerman hit the go-ahead to finish things off for Game One.
 
In the top of the seventh inning in Game Two, trailing by three runs with the game on the line and bases loaded, Queens turned a game-saving triple play. Newberry hit a sharp liner to Elaina Frantellizzi in center field who quickly threw to Ditto at second base to double off the runner caught not tagging. Ditto turned and launched the ball to catcher Jordan Hunt, who applied a clean tag to nab the runner from third base and complete the triple play.
 
Queens took the momentum into the bottom of the inning before the Lathan home run tied. After applying the tag, Hunt started things off in the inning with a RBI double. Hunt also hit a solo home run, her sixth of the year, in the three-run sixth inning that included a RBI triple from Frantellizzi. 
 
Courtney Pearson took the win in both contests, improving her record to 11-3 this season. She pitched a complete game in Game One before coming on in relief in Game Two and finishing the game.
 
Queens will hit the road once again this Sunday, March 25 against Carson-Newman in Jefferson City, Tenn. The doubleheader is slated to begin at 1:00 p.m.