BOX SCORE

Hickory, N.C.----The 29th-ranked Wingate University Bulldogs rallied from an early four-run deficit, plating six runs in the eighth inning to defeat the Bears of Lenoir-Rhyne University 8-7 in NCAA Division II baseball action Tuesday afternoon. Wingate wins its fifth straight, improving to 9-1 on the season, while the Bears fall to 2-8 overall.

Redshirt sophomore catcher Jason Hunter (West Chester, Pa.) was two-for-four with a double and two RBI. Junior infielder Jacob Karr (Richmond, Va.) drove in two runs, while redshirt sophomore infielder James Tedder (Clemmons, N.C.) was two-for-three with an RBI and a run scored. Senior catcher Taylor Honeycutt (Indian Trail, N.C.) delivered the go-ahead two-run single in the eighth.

Sophomore infielder Colton Hansley (Asheville, N.C.) went two-for-three with two RBI and a run scored to lead the Lenoir-Rhyne attack. Junior outfielder Stephan Arcieri (Roswell, Ga.) was two-for-five with a double and an RBI, while freshman infielder Walton Shepherd (Lake Junaluska, N.C.) had a double, RBI and run scored for the Bears.

The Bulldogs threatened early, loading the bases in the top of the first with no outs, but LRU starter Ryan Wiese (Charlotte, N.C.) induced a groundout and two pop-outs to escape the early jam without allowing a run.

The Bears followed by plating four runs in the bottom of the inning. Senior catcher Brian Dice (Hickory, N.C.) got it started with an RBI single, while Hansley added a two-run single to make it 3-0. Shepherd followed with an RBI double to put Lenoir-Rhyne on top by four.

Wingate would threaten over the next five innings, but was unable to put up a run, stranding seven base runners in the stretch. The ‘Dogs plated their first run in the sixth on an RBI single from Hunter make it 4-1. An RBI single from Jacob Karr in the seventh made it a two-run game. An RBI single from Arcieri in the bottom of the seventh pushed the LRU lead back to three at 5-2.

Wingate answered with six runs in the eighth to take the lead. Junior outfielder Casey Allison (Horse Shoe, N.C.) and Jacob Karr started the rally by drawing back-to-back bases-loaded walks to make it 5-4. Tedder tied the game at five with an RBI single to left. A two-run single from Honeycutt put Wingate on top 7-5, while Hunter followed with a sacrifice fly to push the Wingate lead to three.

Lenoir-Rhyne answered with a pair of runs in the bottom of the eighth to cut the lead to one. Senior infielder Dan Catalano (St. Petersburg, Fla.) drove home the first run with an RBI single, while the second run scored on a groundout to make it 8-7. The Bears had runners on second and third with one out and the heart of the order looming. Wingate turned to its closer, sophomore right-hander Justin Somers (Wilmington, N.C.), who got the job done by striking out Dice and senior infielder Anthony Sully (Charlotte, N.C.) to end the inning.

Somers added two more strikeouts in the ninth, as he notched his league-best fourth save of the season without allowing a hit in 1 2/3 innings of work. He preserved the victory for freshman left-hander Bryce Danielson (Horse Shoe, N.C.), who pitched one-third of an inning without allowing a run to improve to 2-0 overall on the season. Sophomore right-hander Clay Tresher (Matthews, N.C.) took the loss, allowing two runs on two hits in 1 2/3 innings of work, falling to 0-1 overall on the year.

Wingate returns to action Wednesday, hosting Limestone College at 3 p.m. The Bulldogs open South Atlantic Conference play Friday night, hosting Mars Hill College for a 6 p.m. contest in Ron Christopher Stadium and Plyler Athletic Field. The Bears travel to Belmont Abbey College Wednesday for a 4 p.m. start.

(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.)