Mars Hill, N.C.----The Wingate University Bulldogs wrapped up the regular season Saturday afternoon, splitting a doubleheader at Mars Hill College in South Atlantic Conference softball action. Wingate won the first game 4-0, while the Lions took game two 4-3. Wingate moves to 26-22 overall and 8-10 in the SAC, while Mars Hill moves to 22-22 overall and 7-11 in the conference.
 
Game One: Wingate 4, Mars Hill 0
 
Freshman catcher Betsy Braswell (Rocky Mount, N.C.) was two-for-four with a homer and three RBI to lead the Wingate offense. Junior first baseman Brittany Loudermilt (Stony Point, N.C.) added a double and a run scored, while sophomore infielder Hayley Whitley (Monroe, N.C.) was one-for-two with an RBI.
 
The first five innings went scoreless. Wingate got on the board in the sixth, with Loudermilt getting things started with a one-out double down the left field line. She went to third on a single from sophomore outfielder Jordyn Setzer (Taylorsville, N.C.), then scored on Whitley sacrifice fly to make it 1-0.
 
The Bulldogs added some insurance in the seventh. Freshman infielder Brittany Owens (Greenville, N.C.) started the frame with a single, while a Mars Hill error put two on base for Braswell. She connected on a two-out, three-run homer to right, her team-best eighth homer of the year to make it 4-0.
 
That would be plenty for freshman right-hander Miranda Paul (Virginia Beach, Va.), who notched her 22nd win of the year. She went the distance, allowing six hits while striking out one. Taylor Morris took the loss, allowing four runs on 10 hits in seven innings of work, falling to 12-14 on the year.
 
Game Two: Mars Hill 4, Wingate 3
 
Loudermilt was two-for-three with a double, homer and two RBI to lead the Wingate attack. Owens was two-for-three with an RBI, while Setzer also went two-for-three in game two.
 
Wingate got on the board in the first, when Loudermilt connected on her fifth homer of the year, a two-run shot to make it 2-0.
 
Mars Hill cut the lead in half in the bottom of the frame on an RBI double from Shaundee Woosley. The Lions struck for three runs in the third to take a 4-2 lead. Ashley McCurry led off the frame with a solo homer to tie the game. An RBI groundout from Morris put the Lions on top, while an RBI single from Taylor Hussey pushed the lead to two.
 
Wingate answered with a run in the fourth to trim the deficit to one. Loudermilt started the inning with a double, then went to third on Setzer’s single. Owens would then drive home Loudermilt with a two-out RBI single, making it 4-3.
 
Wingate had a chance to tie the game in the seventh. Owens led off the inning with a single, then went to second on a sacrifice. She went to third on a groundout, but was stranded there when a line drive off the bat of junior outfielder Kelsey Maffucci (Rockledge, Fla.) was caught in right field.
 
Hussey got the win for Mars Hill, allowing three runs on eight hits in seven innings of work, improving to 8-8. Paul took the loss, allowing three earned runs on five hits in six innings of work, striking out three while falling to 22-18 overall.
 
The Bulldogs will return to action in next week’s Food Lion SAC Tournament. That schedule will be announced on Sunday.