Wingate, N.C.----The Wingate University Bulldogs split a doubleheader with the visiting Saints of Limestone College in NCAA Division II softball action Wednesday afternoon. The Saints took game one 9-1, while the Bulldogs won 4-1 in the second game. Wingate is now 15-9 overall, while the Saints move to 8-8 on the season.
 
Game One: Limestone 9, Wingate 1
 
Freshman designated player Dallas Heaton (Asheboro, N.C.) was three-for-four with a homer and three RBI to lead the Limestone attack in game one. Junior infielder Kirstyn Burleson (Candler, N.C.) also homered, while driving in three runs and scoring twice. Sophomore outfielder Taylor Wigmore (Silver Spring, Md.) was two-for-four with a double and an RBI for the Saints.
 
Senior catcher Brittany Barrineau (Monroe, N.C.) was one-for-two with a homer to lead the Wingate offense. Junior first baseman Brittany Loudermilt (Stony Point, N.C.) went one-for-three with a double.
 
The Saints got on the board in the first via an RBI single from Heaton. That would be all of the scoring until the fifth, when Limestone exploded for five runs. Heaton started the scoring with a two-run homer to left. Burleson added a three-run homer to left center to give the Saints a 6-0 lead.
 
Wingate got on the board in the bottom of the sixth when Barrineau blasted a solo homer down the left field line, making it 6-1.
 
Limestone added three more in the top of the seventh. Wigmore plated the first run with an RBI single, while the second run of the frame scored on a Wingate error. The final run of the first game scored via an RBI groundout, making the final margin 9-1.
 
Junior right-hander Leah Quant (Charlotte, N.C.) got the win for the Saints, improving to 5-3. She allowed one run on four hits in six innings of work, striking out eight and walking four. Freshman right-hander Miranda Paul (Virginia Beach, Va.) took the loss, falling to 12-8. She allowed six runs on eight hits in 4 2/3 innings, striking out two.
 
Game Two: Wingate 4, Limestone 1
 
Barrineau homered and scored twice to lead the Wingate attack in game two. Freshman designated player Betsy Braswell (Rocky Mount, N.C.) was two-for-three with a double and an RBI, while sophomore infielder Hayley Whitley (Monroe, N.C.) went one-for-two with a double and an RBI for the Bulldogs.
 
Senior infielder Kelsey Kuykendall (Seneca Falls, N.Y.) was two-for-four with an RBI to lead the Limestone attack. Heaton went two-for-four with a double, while sophomore infielder Kayla Kelley (Simpsonville, S.C.) was one-for-three with a run scored.
 
Wingate got on the board in the fourth, when Barrineau drew a one-out walk, then scored on an RBI double from Whitley.
 
The Bulldogs added to their lead in the fifth on Braswell’s RBI single. Barrineau led off the sixth with a solo homer to make it 3-0, while a squeeze bunt from freshman infielder Brittany Owens (Greenville, N.C.) pushed the Wingate lead to four heading to the seventh inning.
 
The Saints loaded the bases in the seventh, plating their first run of the game on an RBI single from Kuykendall to cut the lead to three. That would be all of the damage Limestone would do, leaving the bases loaded for the second consecutive inning.
 
Sophomore right-hander Ashley Brown (Murrells Inlet, S.C.) got the win, improving to 2-1. She allowed one run on nine hits in seven innings of work, striking out one. Freshman right-hander Kelly Shearer (Whitby, Ontario) took the loss, falling to 0-1. She allowed two run on two hits in two innings, striking out one.

The Bulldogs return to action Saturday, hosting Lincoln Memorial at 1 p.m. to open conference play.