GAME ONE BOX       GAME TWO BOX

Wingate, N.C.----The Wingate University Bulldogs split a doubleheader with the visiting Railsplitters of Lincoln Memorial University in South Atlantic Conference softball action Saturday afternoon. Wingate won the first game 2-0, while the Railsplitters notched a 5-2 victory in the second game. The Bulldogs move to 16-10 overall and 1-1 in the SAC, while LMU moves to 9-16 overall and 1-1 in the conference.
 
Game One: Wingate 2, Lincoln Memorial 0
 
Freshman right-hander Miranda Paul (Virginia Beach, Va.) tossed a four-hit shutout to lead the Bulldogs past LMU in game one. Six different Bulldogs had hits in the game, with sophomore infielder Hayley Whitley (Monroe, N.C.) and freshman infielder Brittany Owens (Greenville, N.C.) driving in runs for Wingate.
 
The Bulldogs did their damage in the fourth inning. Senior catcher Brittany Barrineau (Monroe, N.C.) led off the inning with a double, then went to third on a single from sophomore outfielder Jordyn Setzer (Taylorsville, N.C.). Whitley plated Barrineau with an RBI groundout to get the Bulldogs on the board. Owens followed by laying down a perfect bunt, plating Setzer to put the ‘Dogs on top by two.
 
That would be plenty for Paul, who notched her 13th win of the year. She allowed just four singles from the Railsplitters, needing only 78 pitches to get the shutout. Paul struck out five without walking a batter in the game. Junior right-hander Meghan LaFevor (Columbia, Tenn.) took the loss, falling to 4-6. She allowed two runs on six hits in six innings, striking out one and walking three.
 
Game Two: Lincoln Memorial 5, Wingate 2
 
Senior infielder Bridget Eicher (Hicksville, Ohio) went two-for-four with a homer and four RBI to lead the LMU attack. Sophomore outfielder Brianna Mulkey (Kettering, Ohio) was two-for-four with a run scored, while junior infielder Sarah Walz (Innisfail, Alberta) was one-for-three with a run scored.
 
Junior outfielder Kelsey Maffucci (Rockledge, Fla.) was one-for-three with an RBI and a run scored to lead the Wingate attack. Freshman designated player Betsy Braswell (Rocky Mount, N.C.) also had a hit and an RBI, while Owens had a hit and a run scored for the Bulldogs.
 
LMU struck for three runs in the first when Eicher blasted a three-run homer to right center.
 
Wingate got on the board in the third, cutting the LMU lead to one. Owens started it with a single, then scored on Maffucci’s RBI double to right center. Braswell followed with an RBI single to plate Maffucci, making it 3-2.
 
The Railsplitters added some insurance in the fifth on Eicher’s RBI single. Lincoln Memorial added a run in the sixth on a Wingate error, making it 5-2.
 
Junior right-hander Cierra Mudd (Washburn, Tenn.) got the win, improving to 1-2 on the year. She allowed two runs on six hits in four innings, striking out one. LaFevor tossed the final three innings to notch the save. She did not allow a hit while striking out two. Paul took the loss, allowing four runs (all unearned) on five hits in five innings of work, striking out four. She falls to 13-9 on the season.

Wingate returns to action Monday, hosting Bloomsburg for a doubleheader at 2 p.m. Lincoln Memorial hosts Carson-Newman Wednesday at 2 p.m.