BOX SCORE

Jefferson City, Tenn.----Wingate University senior right-hander Allison Smith (Daleville, Va.) tossed a one-hit shutout as the fifth-seeded Bulldogs defeated fourth seeded Tusculum College 2-0 in game one of the 2011 Food Lion SAC Tournament Wednesday morning.

Wingate improves to 31-13 overall, and will be back in action Thursday at 11:30 a.m. The Pioneers fall to 30-16 and return to action at 11:30 a.m. Thursday at Walters State Community College. The Bulldogs will take on the winner of the Lenior-Rhyne vs. LMU contest. Tusculum will play the loser of that game.

“Smith did an awesome job in circle and we had some great timely hitting which you must have in this setting,” head coach Michelle Caddigan says. “At this point in the year, any win is a good win. Tusculum is a quality team and we are very happy to move on to the winner's bracket.”

Freshman outfielder Hayley Whitley (Monroe, N.C.), senior infielder Emily Chavis (Berkeley Lake, Ga.) and senior infielder Gina Ager (Columbia, Md.) had two hits each to lead the Wingate attack, while Whitley added an RBI and Ager had a run scored. Junior infielder Maureen Sandidge (Venice, Fla.) and sophomore first baseman Brittany Loudermilt (Stony Point, N.C.) each added a double, while Loudermilt contributed an RBI for the Bulldogs.

Senior infielder Taylor MacDonald (Scarborough, Ontario) had the lone hit of the day for the Pioneers, a two-out single in the sixth inning. Senior infielder Shanda Kimbrough (Morristown, Tenn.) reached on a one-out walk in the seventh, while Tusculum also reached base on a Wingate error. Smith induced 14 groundouts, while allowing only two balls to reach the outfield all day.

Ager reached on a one-out single in the third, then moved to second on a sacrifice. Whitley delivered a two-out RBI single through the right side to put the Bulldogs on the board.

Sandidge led off the fourth with a double to right center, then scored on an RBI double from Loudermilt to give the Bulldogs a two-run cushion.

The margin would be plenty for Smith. The SAC Scholar Athlete and second team all-conference selection improves to 21-5 overall on the year. She struck out three and walked one on the day. Senior right-hander Erin Searcy (Coolidge, Ga.) took the loss, falling to 14-12 overall. She allowed two runs on nine hits in seven innings of work, striking out four and walking three.