Pembroke, N.C.----The UNC Pembroke Braves got eight solid innings from
Alex Pearce Saturday afternoon, notching a 2-1 victory over the visiting Bulldogs of Wingate University in NCAA Division II baseball action Saturday evening. The Braves improve to 30-19 overall, while Wingate finishes its season 31-24 overall.
The Bulldogs did their damage in the first, plating a run via a pair of doubles. A two-out RBI double to right center from senior infielder
Jacob Karr (Richmond, Va.) put Wingate on top 1-0. The second team All-SAC selection leads the nation with 25 doubles this year.
The Braves had the answer in the bottom of the frame, getting a two-out RBI single from
Tyler Potter to tie the game at one.
That would be all of the scoring until the seventh, when
Max Gagnon led off the frame with a solo homer to left, giving the Braves a 2-1 advantage.
That would be enough for Pearce, who allowed one run on three hits in his eight innings of work, striking out three to improve to 9-4 on the year.
Braxton Lewis worked a perfect ninth for the Braves, notching his 12th save of the season. Sophomore right-hander
Olen Little (Charlotte, N.C.) took the loss, falling to 4-1. He allowed one run on two hits in an inning of work, striking out two. Senior right handers
Ryan Fitzpatrick (Jacksonville, Fla.) and
Kyle Brady (Cincinnati, Ohio) combined to toss four shutout innings, striking out four.
Wingate finished the 2012 season with 95 homers, which leads the nation. The Bulldogs tie a SAC record, which was set by Carson-Newman in the 2002 season. Senior outfielder
Casey Allison (Horse Shoe, N.C.), who doubled in the first on Saturday, leads the nation with 22 homers. He hit 44 long balls in his Wingate career, ranking seventh on the league’s all-time charts. Redshirt junior first baseman
Brian Yeung (Raleigh, N.C.) also ranks among the nation’s best with 16 homers this year, and has 37 in his career. Karr and classmate
Dodson McPherson (Graham, N.C.) are also among the national home run leaders, with 14 and 12, respectively.
