Box Score

Wilson, N.C.----Wingate University sophomore shortstop Chris Vazquez (Tyrone, Ga.) extended his hitting streak to 23 games Wednesday night, hitting two homers, driving in three runs and scoring three times to lead Wingate past Barton College in NCAA Division II baseball action Wednesday night. The visiting Bulldogs improve to 25-11 overall, winning 14 of their last 16 games. Barton falls to 19-22 overall on the year.

Senior infielder Logan Isaacs (Raleigh, N.C.) had a double, RBI and run scored for the visitors. Sophomore outfielder Casey Allison (Horse Shoe, N.C.) added a double for the Bulldogs, while sophomore infielder Matt Keeler(Davidson, N.C.) went one-for-two on the night.

Vazquez got the scoring started in the third, blasting a solo homer to left to give Wingate a 1-0 lead.
Barton tied the game in the fourth, with junior outfielder Matt Willis (Wilmington, N.C.) hitting a one-out triple, then scoring on an RBI groundout from freshman infielder Christian Oliver (Gordonsville, Va.).

Wingate answered with three runs in the fifth to regain the lead. Isaacs plated the first run with an RBI double to left center. Vazquez followed with his sixth homer of the year to give the Bulldogs a 4-1 lead. 

The Bulldogs added an insurance run in the eighth, when Vazquez led off the inning with a walk, went to third on a single from sophomore outfielder Dodson McPherson (Graham, N.C.), then scored on a sacrifice fly from redshirt freshman first baseman Brian Yeung (Raleigh, N.C.) for a 5-1 advantage.

Barton scored once in the bottom of the ninth, but senior right-hander Lee Oxendine (Laurinburg, N.C.) finished off his third save of the year by striking out the final batter. Senior right-hander Dusty White (Charlotte, N.C.) improved to 3-2 on the year. He allowed only one run on five hits in 6 1/3 innings of work, while striking out six and not walking a batter. Oxendine pitched the final 2 2/3 innings, allowing one run on four hits while striking out six. Sophomore right-hander Bentley Massey (Wilson, N.C.) took the loss, allowing three runs on four hits in four innings to fall to 0-4 on the year.

The Bulldogs return to action Wednesday, hosting number 22 Erskine College at 7 p.m. The Wingate Sports Network will provide a live pay-per-view video broadcast of Wednesday’s contest. Barton travels to number 26 Catawba College Wednesday at 6 p.m. 

(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.)