Box Score 1 | Box Score 2  

Wingate, N.C.----Wingate senior outfielder Kelsey Maffucci (Rockledge, Fla.) lined a game-winning walk-off RBI single in the bottom of the seventh inning of game one Tuesday afternoon, highlighting a doubleheader sweep against Bloomsburg University in NCAA Division II softball action. Wingate won 3-2 in game one, adding a 5-1 victory in game two to improve to 17-14-1 overall. Bloomsburg falls to 6-3 on the season.

Game One: Wingate 3, Bloomsburg 2

Maffucci was two-for-four with an RBI to lead the Wingate attack. Freshman catcher Taylor Laskey (Cherryville, N.C.) was two-for-two with a homer, while senior outfielder Kasey Pendley (Marion, N.C.) added an RBI for the Bulldogs. Chrissy Belko had a homer and two RBI to lead the Bloomsburg offense.

The Bulldogs got on the board in the second when Laskey connected on her second homer of the season, a solo shot to right to make it 1-0.

This would be all of the scoring until the seventh. After Bloomsburg loaded the bases in the first inning with one out, Wingate freshman right-hander Stacey Houser (Mooresville, N.C.) retired the next 17 hitters in the game.

The first Bloomsburg batter to reach after the first inning reached on a lead-off error in the top of the seventh. After the leadoff error, a sacrifice put the tying run in scoring position. Belko would connect on a two-run homer to right center to give the Huskies their first lead of the day.

Sophomore shortstop Alexis Burrell (Chesapeake, Va.) led off the bottom of the seventh by reaching on an error, while Laskey reached on a walk. After a fielder’s choice, sophomore infielder Brittany Owens (Greenville, N.C.) was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Pendley then came to the plate and was hit on an 0-2 pitch, tying the game at two. Maffucci would then line the first pitch of her at-bat to the base of the fence in right field, giving the Bulldogs the 3-2 victory.

Houser got the win, improving to 11-7. She allowed one earned run on three hits in seven innings of work, striking out five. Cait Paine took the loss, falling to 4-1. She allowed one earned run on five hits in 6 1/3 innings of work, striking out eight.

Game Two: Wingate 5, Bloomsburg 1

Senior first baseman Brittany Loudermilt (Stony Point, N.C.) was two-for-three with a double and three RBI to lead the Wingate attack. Laskey also had a pair of hits, scoring a run, while Maffucci was two-for-four with a run scored. Burrell also went one-for-three with a run scored for the Bulldogs.

Erika Yanora was one-for-three with an RBI to lead the Bloomsburg attack. Kayla McHale added a two-for-three day for the Huskies, while Leann Bell was one-for-one with a run scored.

Bloomsburg took a 1-0 lead in the third. Bell started the rally with a one-out single, went to third on another hit, then scored on Yanora’s RBI single.

Wingate would tie the game with a run in the fifth. Maffucci ripped a one-out single up the middle, then scored on an RBI double to right center from Loudermilt.

The Bulldogs added four runs in the sixth to take a 5-1 advantage. Burrell and Laskey started the inning with singles, then went to second and third on a sacrifice. Owens would draw a walk to load the bases. The first two runs would score on a Bloomsburg throwing error. Loudermilt added a two-run single to right center to make it 5-1.

Sophomore right-hander Miranda Paul (Virginia Beach, Va.) got the win, improving to 6-7. She allowed one run on six hits in seven innings of work, striking out three without walking a batter. Paine took the loss, allowing five runs (one earned) on five hits in 2 1/3 innings, striking out three while walking two to fall to 4-2 on the year.

Wingate returns to action Saturday, traveling to Newberry for a SAC doubleheader starting at 1 p.m.