Savannah, Ga.----The 10th-ranked Wingate University Bulldogs split a doubleheader with the Pirates of Armstrong Atlantic State University in NCAA Division II softball action Friday afternoon. The Bulldogs won the first game 3-0, while dropping game two 2-0 to move to 18-2 overall on the year. The AASU Pirates move to 11-5 overall on the season.

Game #1
#10 Wingate 3, AASU 0     BOX SCORE

Seniors Debra Grijalva (San Jose, Calif.) and Leyila Myers (Marietta, Ga.) provided the offense for the Bulldogs, driving in three runs combined. Junior right-hander Brittany Blankenship (Midlothian, Va.) got the win with the complete game shutout.

Wingate got on the board in the second on a solo homer from Myers, her second of the season to make it 1-0. The Bulldogs added two more runs in the third on a two-run single from Grijalva to take a three-run lead.
The three runs would be all the support Blankenship would need. She allowed six hits in her seven innings of work, striking out two and improving to 9-1 overall on the season. The back-to-back SAC Pitcher of the Week has won eight consecutive starts for the Bulldogs. Sophomore Emily Headrick (Rocky Face, Ga.) took the loss for the Pirates. She allowed three runs on six hits in 5 1/3 innings of work, falling to 1-3 overall on the year.

Game #2 
AASU 2, #10 Wingate 0     BOX SCORE 

The Bulldogs were held to two hits as their 16-game win streak came to an end. Junior infielder Meagan Qualls (Ringgold, Ga.) and freshman infielder Shelby Duff (Springfield, Ga.) drove in the runs for the Pirates, while freshman pitcher Megan Barnwell (Brooklet, Ga.) shut down the Wingate offense.

AASU did its damage in the third, plating two runs. Qualls got it started with an RBI single, while Duff followed with a sacrifice fly to make it 2-0. The Bulldogs got two on base in the fourth inning and again in the fifth, but could not push across a run. Both losses this season for Wingate have come in shutouts.

Barnwell improves to 5-1 overall on the season. She allowed two hits in seven innings of work, striking out four and walking five. Junior right-hander Allison Smith (Daleville, Va.) suffered her first loss of the year, falling to 9-1 overall. She allowed two runs on seven hits in 3 1/3 innings of work, while striking out one.

The Bulldogs return to action Wednesday, traveling to number 24 USC Aiken for a 2 p.m. start. The Pirates travel to cross-town rival SCAD Saturday at 12 noon.

(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.)