Laurinburg, N.C.----The Wingate University Bulldogs split a doubleheader at St. Andrews Presbyterian College in NCAA Division II softball action Wednesday afternoon. The Bulldogs won the first game 11-0 in five innings, while the Knights took the second game 2-1. Wingate is now 30-10 overall on the year, while the Knights move to 5-36 overall.

Game #1
Wingate 11, St. Andrews 0 (5 innings)

Senior outfielder LaRonda McClain (Kings Mountain, N.C.) was three-for-five with two RBI and two runs scored to spark Wingate’s offense. Senior infielder Leyila Myers (Marietta, Ga.) was two-for-two with an RBI and a run scored, while freshman catcher Stephanie Simmons (Hickory, N.C.) drove in two runs while also scoring a run for the Bulldogs.

Wingate scored eight runs in the second to blow the game open. McClain got it started with an RBI single, followed by an RBI single from senior infielder Kelsey Emig (Glenmoore, Pa.). The next two runs scored on an error and wild pitch to make it 4-0. Myers added an RBI single, while the final three runs scored via bases-loaded walks.

A sacrifice fly from Simmons made it 9-0 in the fourth. McClain added another RBI single, while senior shortstop Debra Grijalva (San Jose, Calif.) drove home the 11th and final Wingate run on an RBI single.

Junior right-hander Brittany Blankenship (Midlothian, Va.) got the win, improving to 16-5 on the season. She struck out five without allowing a hit in three innings. Freshman Nancy Crawley (Cheraw, S.C.) pitched the final two innings, allowing only one hit while striking out two. Senior Daisy Mendez (Miami, Fla.) took the loss, allowing eight runs (four earned) in 1 2/3 innings of work, falling to 1-10 overall.

Game #2: St. Andrews 2, Wingate 1

McClain added two more hits while also scoring a run for the Bulldogs. Junior outfielder Emily Chavis (Berkeley Lake, Ga.) was two-for-three with an RBI.

The Knights got on the board first, scoring a pair of runs in the third. Sophomore infielder Kaitlin Harris (Acworth, Ga.) drove home the game’s first run with an RBI single. The second run would come around to score on a Wingate error for a 2-0 lead. McClain led off the sixth with a single, then scored on an RBI single from Chavis to cut the lead in half.

Sophomore Ashley Disque (Prince Frederick, Md.) got the win, improving to 4-19 on the year. She allowed one run on five hits in seven innings of work, striking out two. Junior right-hander Allison Smith (Daleville, Va.) took the loss, allowing one earned run in six innings while striking out six, falling to 14-5 on the year.

Wingate is back in action Saturday, traveling to Brevard College for a 1 p.m. start. The Knights also return to action Saturday, traveling to Lees-McRae College at 2 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.)