BOX SCORE
Wingate, N.C.----The 22nd-ranked Erskine College Flying Fleet plated four runs in the top of the 10th to defeat the Bulldogs of Wingate University 14-10 in NCAA Division II baseball action Wednesday night at Ron Christopher Stadium and Plyler Athletic Field. Erskine improves to 34-10 on the season, while the Bulldogs fall to 25-12 on the year.
Senior outfielder Bryan Fogle (Lexington, S.C.) went three-for-four with two homers, a double, four RBI and three runs scored to lead the Erskine attack. In the process, Fogle broke the NCAA Division II record for career total bases. Senior infielder Chas Anthony (Pickens, S.C.) added a three-for-six night with a double, four RBI and two runs scored. Junior infielder Casey Winckowski (Oregon, Ohio) went four-for-five with a homer, three RBI and two runs scored.
Junior outfielder Tres Ramirez (Ocala, Fla.) went four-for-five with a double, three RBI and a run scored to lead the Wingate offense. Senior infielder Logan Isaacs (Raleigh, N.C.) and sophomore outfielder Casey Allison (Horse Shoe, N.C.) each had two hits and a run scored, while Allison drove in two runs. Redshirt senior outfielder Nick Siega-Riz (Clemmons, N.C.) and sophomore outfielder Dodson McPherson (Graham, N.C.) each had two hits, an RBI and a run scored.
Fogle got the scoring started with a solo homer to right in the first. Wingate answered in the bottom of the inning, as Allison led off with a single, then scored on a wild pitch to tie it at one.
The Flying Fleet took a 2-1 lead in the third on a sacrifice fly from Fogle. The Bulldogs again had the answer, scoring five runs in the bottom of the inning. Ramirez got it started with an RBI single. He would score on an error to give Wingate its first lead. Junior catcher Taylor Honeycutt (Indian Trail, N.C.) was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to make it 4-2. Allison gave the Bulldogs a four-run lead with a two-run single up the middle.
Erskine responded with six runs in the fourth to regain the lead. An RBI double from sophomore infielder Zach McCarthy (Spartanburg, S.C.) got the scoring started. Anthony added an RBI single to cut the lead to two. After a bases-loaded walk, Winckowski lined a two-run single to left center to put Erskine on top 8-7.
A solo homer to left center from Fogle, his NCAA Division II leading 22nd of the year, put the Flying Fleet on top 9-7.
The Bulldogs scored twice in the sixth to tie it. Ramirez got it started with an RBI single. Siega-Riz tied the game at nine on an RBI groundout.
Erskine quickly regained the lead on a solo homer from Winckowski to lead off the seventh. Wingate responded with a run in the bottom of the seventh, getting an RBI single from McPherson to make it 10-10.
After two scoreless innings, Erskine struck four times in the 10th. The big blow came on bases-clearing three-run double from Anthony. Fogle drove him home with an RBI double for a four-run lead.
Freshman right-hander Kit Carter (Byrnes, S.C.) got the win, improving to 1-0. He pitched a scoreless ninth without allowing a hit while striking out one. Freshman right-hander Drew Boyer (Millet, Alberta) took the loss, falling to 0-1. He allowed three earned runs on three hits in one-third of an inning. The Bulldogs got another strong performance from senior right-hander TJ Worrell (Charlotte, N.C.), who pitched 2 2/3 scoreless innings while striking out three and allowing only one hit.
The Bulldogs return to action Friday, opening a huge conference series with Carson-Newman College at 7 p.m. The two teams meet again Saturday for a doubleheader, with game one starting at 1 p.m. With one victory this weekend, Wingate would guarantee at least a share of the SAC regular season title. Two wins would give the Bulldogs an outright league championship. The Wingate Sports Network will provide live pay-per-view video broadcast for all three contests. Erskine also has a big weekend, hosting #11 Mount Olive for a three-game series, starting Friday at 2:30 p.m.
