BOX SCORE

Greeneville, Tenn.----The Wingate University baseball team scored an unearned run in the top of the 12th inning and sophomore reliever Justin Somers (Wilmington, N.C.) retired the side in the bottom of the frame as the Bulldogs earned a 5-4 South Atlantic Conference victory over number 13 Tusculum College Friday night at Pioneer Park.

The Bulldogs improve to 12-6 overall and 2-2 in the SAC with their fifth one-run triumph in seven tries this season. The TC Pioneers fall to 9-2 overall and 2-2 in the SAC. The two teams will play a doubleheader (one nine-inning game, one seven-inning game) Saturday at 1 p.m.

In the 12th inning, Wingate junior outfielder Casey Allison (Horse Shoe, N.C.) singled with one out. After Tusculum junior reliever Michael Franklin (Kings Mountain, N.C.) recorded another out, Wingate redshirt sophomore second baseman James Tedder (Clemmons, N.C.) laced a double down the left-field line. Allison advanced to third and scored via an error on the same play.

Somers improved his record to 2-1 on the season by retiring the Pioneers one-two-three in the bottom of the 12th inning. In four innings pitched, Somers allowed one unearned run on two hits. He struck out seven and induced three ground-ball outs. Franklin (2-1 overall) took the loss. In one inning pitched, Franklin surrendered one unearned run on two hits. He struck out one Bulldog batter.

Six Bulldogs had multiple hits Friday night as the Bulldogs posted double-figure hits (15) for the eighth time this season (all victories). Sophomore first baseman Brian Yeung (Raleigh, N.C.) was three-for-six with two doubles and one RBI. Allison was two-for-six with a double and two RBI. Bulldog junior outfielder Dodson McPherson (Graham, N.C.) had two hits in five at-bats. He scored two runs.

Tusculum junior outfielder Alexi Colon (Vineland, N.J.) was three-for-six with a double and a game-high three RBI. Pioneer junior designated hitter Nate Reid (Bourbonnais, Ill.) was two-for-four, while senior second baseman Payden Houser (Lincolnton, N.C.) was two-for-five with one run scored.

Tusculum struck first, posting a single spot in the bottom of the third inning. With one out, senior shortstop Branfy Arias (La Romana, Dominican Republic) walked and stole second. Colon followed with a single up the middle, plating Arias with the game’s initial run.

The Bulldogs took a 2-1 lead in the fifth inning. With one out, McPherson walked on four pitches. Yeung followed with an RBI double to left field, scoring McPherson. Yeung moved to third on an Allison groundout. He scored when junior designated hitter Jacob Karr (Richmond, Va.) reached on a throwing error.

Wingate padded its lead to 4-1 with two runs in the top of the seventh inning. Senior outfielder Cale Rogers (Snow Camp, N.C.) got things started with a full-count walk. McPherson singled to right center, putting runners on the corners. One out later, Allison doubled to score both Rogers and McPherson.

The Pioneers responded with two runs on four hits in the bottom of the seventh. Tusculum did its damage with two outs. Arias tripled down the left-field line to start the rally. He scored when Colon doubled. TC senior outfielder Rolondo Bonner (Garner, N.C.) greeted Wingate senior reliever Drew Boyer (Millet, Alberta, Canada) with a single up the middle to score Colon.

Tusculum continued the two-out rally theme in the bottom of the ninth inning, scoring an unearned run after the visiting Bulldogs retired two batters. Houser singled on a 0-2 pitch from Somers to start the frame. Houser moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by freshman outfielder Trey Drewery (Vale, N.C.).

Arias struck out looking for the second out in the ninth. Houser advanced to third base on a passed ball. He scored on an RBI single to right field by Colon. Somers escaped further damage by inducing a ground out by Bonner.

Eight of Wingate’s nine starters had at least one hit. Rogers, Karr and freshman third baseman Cody Shelton (Charlotte, N.C.) contributed two hits each to the Bulldog cause. Wingate posted four doubles Friday.

The Bulldog pitching staff struck out 14 Pioneer batters. Wingate senior left-handed starter Chris Nelson (Greenville, S.C.) fanned five, while senior right-hander Cameron Falcon (Durham, N.C.) struck out two in a scoreless eighth-inning appearance. Nelson leads the Bulldogs with 26 strikeouts this season. Somers’ seven strikeouts Friday give him 20 K’s in 12 2/3 innings this season.