Wingate, N.C.----The defending Food Lion SAC Tournament champion Wingate University Bulldogs will host the number one Trojans of Mount Olive College for a three game series this weekend. The two teams will meet for a doubleheader Saturday at 2 p.m. The series will conclude with one game Sunday at 1 p.m. Both teams enter the weekend undefeated. Wingate is 4-0 overall, while the Trojans are 3-0 on the year.
 
The Bulldogs opened their season last weekend with a three-game sweep over Concord (W.Va.). Wingate showed off its balanced lineup against the Mountain Lions. The ‘Dogs opened the season with a 7-5 win Saturday. Senior All-American Dodson McPherson (Graham, N.C.) led the way with a homer and five RBI. Junior right-hander Justin Somers (Wilmington, N.C.) allowed only one earned run in 4 2/3 innings of work, while redshirt junior All-American Brian Yeung (Raleigh, N.C.) added three hits for the Bulldogs.
 
Junior catcher Jason Hunter (West Chester, Pa.) had a double, homer and two RBI to lead the Bulldogs to a 6-4 win in Saturday’s second game. Sophomore right-hander Ben Currie (Clemmons, N.C.) went 5 2/3 innings without allowing an earned run, as he earned SAC Pitcher of the Week honors. Freshman outfielder Thomas Spitz (West Chester, Pa.) added two hits and an RBI for the Bulldogs.
 
Wingate pounded out 16 hits on Sunday en route to a 14-5 win. Senior infielder Jacob Karr (Richmond, Va.) led the way, going three-for-three with two doubles, a triple, four RBI and four runs scored. Senior outfielder Casey Allison (Horse Shoe, N.C.) added two doubles and two RBI, while Yeung had a pair of hits, an RBI and three runs scored. Sophomore right-hander Stephen Vaughan (Wilmington, N.C.) got the win, allowing one run in three innings of work in relief, striking out three.
 
The ‘Dogs moved to 4-0 on Tuesday with a 9-6 win at St. Andrews. Senior right-hander Justin Nygard (Wilson, N.C.) tossed five innings of shutout ball, striking out seven while allowing only two hits. Senior infielder Chris Vazquez (Tyrone, Ga.) had four hits and three RBI to lead the offense. Spitz had a pair of hits and three runs scored, while McPherson added three hits.
 
The Trojans come in with a record of 3-0 after sweeping a weekend series against Lenoir-Rhyne. Mount Olive won the NCAA Division II national title in 2008. The Trojans won the NCAA Southeast regional last year, and finished as national semifinalists.
 
The Mount Olive offense is led by Mike Mercurio, who has a homer, nine RBI and six runs scored on the year, hitting .667. The High Point University transfer also has four stolen bases on the year. Jacob Rogers has two homers and five RBI with a .556 batting average. Jake Moser leads the pitching staff, with a 1-0 record in one start without allowing an earned run. Zach Smith allowed one earned run in six innings in his start, striking out seven.
 
The Bulldogs and Trojans met three times in 2011, with Mount Olive winning all three games at home. The teams met for a doubleheader in February, playing two seven-inning games. Wingate took a 4-3 lead in the sixth of game one, thanks a two-run homer from Allison. Karr followed with a double, then scored to put the Bulldogs on top by one. The Trojans answered in the bottom of the seventh, getting runners on second and third with two outs. Antonio Callaway delivered the game-winning two-run single to give Mount Olive the win. The Trojans exploded for 15 runs in the second game, scoring 11 in the first three innings en route to a 15-2 win.
 
The teams met for a third time in 2011 in the NCAA Southeast Regionals. The Trojans sent All-American Carter Capps to the mound, who would go on to be selected at the end of the third round of the 2011 Major League Baseball Draft. Capps went the distance against the Bulldogs, striking out nine while allowing only three hits. Rogers helped lead the offense, going two-for-four with an RBI and run scored.
 
This weekend’s series will feature four players who were named to the 2012 Tino Martinez Award Watch List. Wingate’s Yeung and McPherson both made the list, while Rogers and Daniel Coffey represent Mount Olive on the list. Last season, McPherson and Capps were both named among the eight finalists for the award, which goes to the top player in all of NCAA Division II baseball.