Wingate, N.C.----Wingate University freshman shortstop Alexis Burrell (Chesapeake, Va.) blasted a walk-off two-run homer in game one, while the Bulldogs used a six-run fifth inning in game two en route to doubleheader sweep over the visiting Pioneers of Tusculum College in South Atlantic Conference softball action Saturday afternoon. Wingate won the first game 5-3, while taking game two 8-3 to improve to 25-19 overall and 7-7 in the SAC. Tusculum, who entered the day in first place in the league standings, falls to 27-18 overall and 9-5 in the conference.
 
Game One: Wingate 5, Tusculum 3
 
Tusculum got a two-out, two-run homer in the top of the seventh to tie the game at three, but the Bulldogs answered with Burrell’s two-run blast in the bottom of the frame to notch the win.
 
Burrell was two-for-four with a homer and two RBI to lead the Wingate attack. Freshman catcher Betsy Braswell (Rocky Mount, N.C.) added a homer for the Bulldogs, while Joya Wortham (Creedmoor, N.C.) celebrated Senior Day with an RBI double.
 
Freshman infielder Brooke Lauritzen (Pulaski, Wisc.) had a homer and two RBI to lead the Tusculum offense. Freshman pitcher Kaytlin Stroinski (Howell, Mich.) was two-for-three with a homer for the Pioneers.
 
Tusculum got on the board in the first, when Stroinski connected on her third homer of the year, a solo shot to left center to make it 1-0.
 
Wingate answered in the fourth, starting with a solo homer from Braswell, her sixth of the season. After a pair of singles, Wortham ripped a line drive off the top of the fence down the left field line, giving the ‘Dogs a 2-1 lead. Freshman infielder Brittany Owens (Greenville, N.C.) followed with an RBI single to make it 3-1.
 
That would be all of the scoring until Lauritzen came up to pinch hit in the top of the seventh with two outs and a runner on first. She lined a 1-1 pitch over the fence in left center to tie the game at three.
 
Junior outfielder Kasey Pendley (Marion, N.C.) started the Wingate rally with a one-out double that landed on the infield dirt and spun toward the Bulldog dugout. Burrell followed by lining the first pitch she saw over the fence in right, her fifth homer of the season to give the Bulldogs the dramatic win.
 
Freshman right-hander Miranda Paul (Virginia Beach Va.) notched her 20th win of the year, allowing three runs on five hits in seven innings of work, striking out five while walking one. Stroinski took the loss, falling to 1-5. She allowed two runs on three hits in 2 2/3 innings of work, striking out one.
 
Game Two: Wingate 8, Tusculum 3
 
Junior first baseman Brittany Loudermilt (Stony Point, N.C.) was two-for-four with a double, two RBI and a run scored to lead the Wingate offense. Burrell drove in a pair of runs, while Braswell added another homer for the Bulldogs. Pendley was two-for-three with an RBI and two runs scored, while Wortham went two-for-two with a run scored.
 
Senior infielder Savannah Ewing (Rogersville, Tenn.) was two-for-four with an RBI to lead the Tusculum offense. Senior outfielder Ashley Burke (North Augusta, S.C.) added a homer, while junior shortstop Lindsey Umberger (Madison, Wisc.) was two-for-three with a triple and two runs scored.
 
An RBI single from Stroinski gave Tusculum a 1-0 lead in the third. Wingate responded with two runs in the bottom of the inning to take the lead. Pendley and sophomore outfielder Ann Sautter (Scottsdale, Ariz.) reached on singles, bringing Loudermilt to the plate with two outs. She lined a two-run double to right center to put the ‘Dogs on top 2-1.
 
The Pioneers tied it in the fifth when Umberger tripled, then scored on Ewing’s RBI single.
 
The Bulldogs had the answer once again, scoring five runs on six hits in the bottom of the fifth. Braswell started the scoring with her second homer of the day to make it 3-2. Owens added an RBI single to push the lead to two, while Pendley’s RBI single made it 5-2. Burrell followed by lining a two-run single to right, while a third run would score via an error on the play, putting the Bulldogs on top by six.
 
Tusculum cut the deficit to five in the top of the sixth when Burke connected on a solo homer to left, making the final margin 8-3.
 
Paul notched her second win of the day, improving to 21-17 on the year. She allowed two earned runs on seven hits in seven innings of work, striking out three without walking a batter. Stroinski took the loss, allowing eight runs (three earned) on 10 hits in 4 2/3 innings of work, falling to 1-6.
 
Wingate returns to action Wednesday, traveling to Catawba for a 2 p.m. start.