Wingate, N.C.----The Wingate University Bulldogs got another dominant performance from freshman right-hander Miranda Paul (Virginia Beach, Va.) in a 1-0 victory over 17th-ranked Bloomsburg University in NCAA Division II softball action Monday afternoon. The Huskies took the second game 9-5 to salvage the split. The Bulldogs move to 17-11 on the year, while Bloomsburg moves to 10-2.
 
Game One: Wingate 1, Bloomsburg 0
 
Paul’s four-hit shutout highlighted the one-run victory for the Bulldogs. Wingate was held to four hits, led by junior first baseman Brittany Loudermilt (Stony Point, N.C.), who went two-for-three with a run scored. Sophomore outfielder Jordyn Setzer (Taylorsville, N.C.) was one-for-two with a double and an RBI.
 
The Bulldogs scored the game’s lone-run in the second. Loudermilt started it with a one-out single, then scored on Setzer’s RBI double to deep left.
 
Bloomsburg’s best chance came in the third, getting runners to second and third with two outs. Paul fielded the slow hopper in front the circle to get the out, ending the threat for the Huskies. A leadoff single in the fifth was erased by a fielder’s choice, strikeout and popout.
 
Paul allowed just four singles in game one, striking out six while walking just one, notching her 14th win of the year. Junior left-hander Cait Paine (Lebanon, Pa.) took the loss for Bloomsburg, falling to 7-1. She allowed one run on four hits in six innings, striking out 11 without walking a batter.
 
Game Two: Bloomsburg 9, Wingate 5
 
Sophomore infielder Chrissy Belko (Old Forge, Pa.) blasted three homers to lead the Bloomsburg offense, driving in four runs. Senior catcher Sam Pientack (Archbald, Pa.) was three-for-four with a double and two RBI for the Huskies, while senior infielder Mandy Leach (Milford, Pa.) had a triple, two RBI and a run scored.
 
Loudermilt had a homer and three RBI to lead the Wingate attack. Junior outfielder Kelsey Maffucci (Rockledge, Fla.) was three-for-four with two runs scored, while senior catcher Brittany Barrineau (Monroe, N.C.) had a double and two RBI for the Bulldogs.
 
Wingate got on the board in the bottom of the first, taking a 2-0 lead on Barrineau’s two-out, two-run double to left center. The Huskies tied it in the second on Belko’s first homer of the day, a two-run shot to left center.
 
Bloomsburg plated four runs in the fourth to take the lead. Belko started it with a solo homer to lead off the inning. Pientack added a two-run double down the left field line, while the final run of the inning scored on a throwing error on the play, making it 6-2. Leach lined a two-run triple to left center in the fifth to give the Huskies a six-run lead.
 
Wingate cut the deficit to three in the fifth when Loudermilt blasted her second homer of the season, a three-run shot to left center to make it 8-5.
 
The Huskies added another insurance run in the seventh when Belko led off the seventh with her third homer of the day and the season, a solo shot to left center to make the final margin 9-5.
 
Freshman right-hander Caitlin O’Connor (Rockaway, N.J.) got the win, allowing five runs on six hits in 5 1/3 innings of work, striking out three to improve to 2-0 on the year. Paul took the loss, allowing seven runs (four earned) on nine hits in 4 2/3 innings, striking out four to fall to 14-10. Paine pitched the final 1 2/3 innings for the Huskies to notch the save.
 
Wingate returns to action Wednesday, hosting Augusta State at 2 p.m. Bloomsburg travels to Catawba Tuesday at 2 p.m.