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Wingate, N.C.----The Wingate University Bulldogs overcame an early 5-0 deficit, pounding out 16 hits en route to a 16-11 non-conference NCAA Divison II baseball victory over the Bears of Lenoir-Rhyne University. The Bulldogs improve to 3-0 on the season, while Lenoir-Rhyne falls to 0-5 overall.

Sophomore outfielder Dodson McPherson (Graham, N.C.) led the offense, going three-for-four with a homer and five RBI for the Bulldogs. Sophomore infielder Matt Keeler (Davidson, N.C.) went four-for-six with two doubles, an RBI and two runs scored. Sophomore outfielder Casey Allison (Horse Shoe, N.C.) drove in two runs while scoring four times. Freshman designated hitter Ethan Strickland (Dunn, N.C.) was three-for-five with two RBI.

Senior shortstop Alex Cooks (Tampa, Fla.) and senior outfielder Evan Taylor (Charlotte, N.C.) drove in three runs each to lead the Bears. Senior infielder Hank Wofford (Clover, S.C.) was two-for-five with an RBI and a run scored.

LRU got on the board early, plating five runs in the first inning. Taylor provided the big blow with a three-run homer.

Wingate answered immediately, scoring six runs in the bottom of the first. Redshirt senior outfielder Nick Siega-Riz (Clemmons, N.C.) got it started with a leadoff homer to right. McPherson added a three-run homer to cut the lead to one. Strickland added a two-run double to put the Bulldogs on top 6-5.

A two-run single from McPherson in the second made it 8-5. Allison added an RBI single in the third, then came around to score on an error to put Wingate up 9-5. McPherson scored on an RBI groundout from sophomore shortstop Chris Vazquez (Tyrone, Ga.) to make it 10-5 in the fourth.

The Bears plated a pair of runs in the fifth to cut the lead to three. Wofford reached on a Wingate error as two runs came into score. Wingate once again had the response, scoring three in the bottom of the inning. Sophomore infielder Jacob Karr (Richmond, Va.) got it started with an RBI single. Redshirt-freshman first baseman Brian Yeung (Raleigh, N.C.) followed with an RBI double to make it 14-7.

The Bears would not go away, getting a solo homer from Cooks to start the sixth to cut the lead to six. An RBI single from senior infielder Chris Tucker (Hawthorne, N.Y.) made it 14-9 in the seventh. Cooks added a two-run single to get Lenoir-Rhyne within three.

Wingate added a pair of insurance runs in the bottom of the eighth. Keeler got it started with an RBI single. Allison added another RBI single to make it 16-11.

Freshman right-hander Justin Somers (Wilmington, N.C.) got the win for the Bulldogs, improving to 1-0 on the year. He pitched 3.2 innings in relief, allowing one unearned run without giving up a hit and striking out six. Senior right-hander Ryan Hairston (Clarksville, Va.) took the loss, allowing six earned runs on five hits in two-thirds of an inning, falling to 0-2 on the year. 

(Wingate University assistant sports information director Hugh Patton wrote this article. Patton is a 2006 Wingate graduate with a B.A. degree in Communication Studies.)