GAME ONE BOX       GAME TWO BOX

Pembroke, N.C.----The Wingate University Bulldogs used a four-run seventh inning to complete a doubleheader sweep at UNC Pembroke Saturday afternoon in NCAA Division II softball action. The Bulldogs won the first game 4-1, while adding a thrilling 5-4 victory in game two to improve to 7-3 overall. The Braves fall to 2-9 on the season.
 
Game One: Wingate 4, UNC Pembroke 1
 
Junior first baseman Brittany Loudermilt (Stony Point, N.C.) went two-for-four with a double and two RBI to lead the Wingate offense. Senior outfielder Joya Wortham (Creedmoor, N.C.) added an RBI ,while junior outfielder Kelsey Maffucci (Rockledge, Fla.) and freshman designated player Betsy Braswell (Rocky Mount, N.C.) each scored a run for the Bulldogs.
 
Wingate got on the board in the second, scoring a pair of runs to take an early lead. The inning started with an error, while Loudermilt followed with a bunt single. Wortham reached on an error to drive in senior catcher Brittany Barrineau (Monroe, N.C.), while Loudermilt would also score on the play, making it 2-0.
 
Maffucci drew a one-out walk in the third, while Braswell was hit by a pitch. After a groundout, Loudermilt ripped a two-run double to right center to put the Bulldogs on top by four.
 
UNCP got on the board in the fourth via an RBI single from Megan Hillard.
 
That would be all that freshman right-hander Miranda Paul (Virginia Beach, Va.) would allow in game one, improving to 4-2 on the year. She allowed a run on five hits in seven innings of work, striking out two without walking a batter. Starr Gilley took the loss, allowing four runs on six hits in seven innings of work, falling to 1-3 overall.
 
Game Two: Wingate 5, UNC Pembroke 4
 
Maffucci was three-for-four with two runs scored to lead the Wingate attack. Freshman infielder Alexis Burrell (Chesapeake, Va.) went two-for-four with an RBI and a run scored for the Bulldogs.
 
The Bulldogs got on the board first in the fourth, when Maffucci led off the inning with a single, then scored on an RBI single from sophomore infielder Hayley Whitley (Monroe, N.C.). The Braves answered with a  run in the bottom of the fourth on an RBI single from Kellie Van Dyke.
 
UNCP took its first lead of the afternoon in the fifth, getting an RBI double from Brea Hartley, followed by a squeeze bunt from Holly Berry to take a 3-1 lead. Kristen Hobbs led off the sixth with a solo homer, putting the Braves on top by three.
 
The first two hitters in the top of the seventh were retired, leaving the Bulldogs with two outs and the bases empty, staring at a 4-1 deficit. Freshman infielder Brittany Owens (Greenville, N.C.) started the rally with a  double to left center, while Burrell followed with an RBI single to make it 4-2. Maffucci followed with a single, while an RBI single from Braswell made it a one-run game. Barrineau followed with an RBI single to left to tie the game at four. Loudermilt delivered Wingate’s sixth consecutive hit, an RBI single down the left field line to give the Bulldogs a 5-4 lead.
 
Paul shut the Braves down in the seventh to notch her second win of the day, moving to 5-2 on the year. She allowed three earned runs on nine hits, while striking out four and once again not walking a batter. Jamie Burwell took the loss, allowing two runs on three hits without retiring a batter, falling to 0-4 on the season.
 
Wingate returns to action Tuesday, traveling to Queens (N.C.) for a 1:30 p.m. start. The Bulldogs were originally slated to travel to Pfeiffer on Sunday, but the Wingate-PU twin bill has been postponed due to weather.