GAME ONE BOX SCORE         GAME TWO BOX SCORE

Greeneville, Tenn.----The Wingate University Bulldogs pounded out 28 hits, scoring 24 runs in a doubleheader sweep over the 13th-ranked Pioneers of Tusculum College in South Atlantic Conference baseball action Saturday afternoon. The ‘Dogs sweep the weekend series, improving to 14-6 overall and 4-2 in the SAC. Tusculum falls to 9-4 overall and 2-4 in the conference. The two teams combined to score 44 runs, as Wingate won 13-10 in the first game, and 11-10 in game two.

Game #1: Wingate 13, Tusculum 10

Junior outfielder Casey Allison (Horse Shoe, N.C.) went four-for-five with a homer, two doubles, four RBI and three runs scored to lead the Wingate attack. Senior catcher Taylor Honeycutt (Indian Trial, N.C.) added a homer and two RBI for the Bulldogs, while junior shortstop Chris Vazquez (Tyrone, Ga.) had two hits, two RBI and a run scored. Redshirt sophomore first baseman Brian Yeung (Raleigh, N.C.) added three hits, including a double, with an RBI and two runs scored.

Sophomore infielder Matt Henriksen (Hingham, Mass.) went three-for-five with a double and two RBI to lead the Tusculum offense. Junior infielder Cody Coffman (Cape Coral, Fla.) and senior catcher Sean Cotton (Mooresville, N.C.) had two hits and two RBI each, while senior outfielder Rolondo Bonner (Garner, N.C.) had an RBI and three runs scored for the Pioneers.

The Bulldogs came out on fire, plating four runs in the first. Yeung got it started with an RBI single, while Allison followed with a three-run homer to center to make it 4-0. An RBI single from Vazquez in the second put the ‘Dogs on top by five.

Tusculum answered with a run in the bottom of the inning on an RBI single from Henriksen. The Bulldogs responded with two more runs in the third to take a six-run lead. Allison doubled to start the inning, then scored on an RBI double from junior infielder Jacob Karr (Richmond, Va.). He would come around to score on a Tusculum error to make it 7-1.

The Pioneers cut into the lead in the fourth, getting an RBI double from Nate Reid (Bourbonnais, Ill.), followed by a Coffman RBI single to make it 7-3. The ‘Dogs got those two runs back in the fifth, when Allison once again started the inning with a double, then scored on an RBI single from freshman infielder Cody Shelton (Charlotte, N.C.). Vazquez followed with an RBI single to make it 9-3.

The Pioneers plated five runs in the bottom of the inning to cut the deficit to one. Tusculum loaded the bases, then drew consecutive walks to plate a pair of runs. The Bulldogs turned a double play, but a third Tusculum run scored on the play. Coffman followed with an RBI double, then scored on an RBI double from Henriksen to make it 9-8.

The Pioneers added two more runs in the sixth to take their first lead of the day. An error, passed ball and two groundouts plated the first run, while Cotton added a two-out RBI double to give Tusculum a 10-9 lead.

The Bulldogs responded with two runs in the seventh to regain the lead. Honeycutt provided the offense, blasting his third homer of the year, a two-run shot to left to make it 11-10.

Wingate added a run in the eighth on an RBI single from Allison. The ‘Dogs added another insurance run in the ninth, when Vazquez scored on a wild pitch to make it 13-10.

Freshman right-hander Stephen Vaughan (Wilmington, N.C.) finished things in the ninth, striking out the game’s final hitter with two on. Vaughan notched his second save of the season, pitching the final three innings without allowing a run, striking out two. He saved it for senior right-hander Drew Boyer (Millet, Alberta), who improves to 1-0 on the year. Boyer pitched one-third of an inning without allowing a run. Sophomore right-hander Adam Sigmon (Taylorsville, N.C.) took the loss, falling to 0-1 on the season. He allowed four runs on six hits in 3 2/3 innings of work.

Game #2: Wingate 11, Tusculum 10

Shelton was three-for-four with three RBI and two runs scored to lead the Wingate attack in game two. Honeycutt added another homer for the Bulldogs, driving in three. All nine Wingate starters scored in the second game, while eight of the nine starters had a hit and drove in a run.

Senior infielder Branfy Arias (La Romana, D.R.) had two hits, two RBI and two runs scored to lead the Tusculum offense. Junior outfielder Alexi Colon (Vineland, N.J.) had a homer, two RBI and two runs scored for the Pioneers, while Henriksen scored three runs in game two.

Wingate once again plated four runs in the opening frame. Vazquez led off the game with a single, followed by a double from senior outfielder Cale Rogers (Snow Camp, N.C.). Junior outfielder Dodson McPherson (Graham, N.C.) plated Vazquez with an RBI groundout. Allison added a sacrifice fly, while a two-run single from Shelton made it 4-0.

An RBI single from senior outfielder Brett DePalma (Camp Hill, Pa.) made it 4-1 in the bottom of the second. Wingate answered in the third, with Honeycutt blasting his second homer of the day to left center, a three-run shot to make it 7-1.

The Pioneers scored twice in the bottom of the inning, plating the first run on a double steal, while cutting the lead to four on an RBI single from Reid. Tusculum scored three more runs in the fourth to make it a one-run game. Arias drove home the first run with an RBI single, while the inning’s second run scored on a wild pitch. Arias scored on a Wingate error to make it 7-6.

The ‘Dogs added a run in the fifth when Allison scored on an RBI single from Shelton. The Pioneers answered in the fifth, scoring four times to take their first lead of the game. Henriksen walked, stole second, then scored on a Wingate error. An RBI single from Arias tied the game. Colon gave Tusculum the lead with a two-run homer to right center, making it 10-8.

Wingate responded with two runs in the sixth to tie the game. Yeung drove home the first run with an RBI single to cut the Tusculum lead to one. Karr tied the game with a two-out RBI single to make it 10-10.

Wingate regained the lead in the seventh when Shelton led off the inning with a single, then scored on an RBI single from Vazquez to take an 11-10 advantage.

Freshman right-hander Ben Currie (Clemmons, N.C.) made the lead stick, retiring the side in order in the seventh to notch his first save of the year. He preserved the win for redshirt sophomore right-hander Josh Karr (Richmond, Va.). In his first appearance on the mound since the 2009 season, Karr pitched an inning without allowing a hit, while striking out one to improve to 1-0. Junior right-hander Michael Franklin (Kings Mountain, N.C.) took the loss, falling to 2-2 on the year. He allowed a run on three hits in two-thirds of an innings.

The Bulldogs return to action Tuesday, traveling to Erskine to take on the 15th-ranked Flying Fleet at 2:30 p.m. It will be Wingate’s sixth consecutive game against a ranked opponent. The Pioneers host St. Andrews on Tuesday at 4 p.m.