Box Score 1 | Box Score 2
 
Wingate, N.C.----Wingate University sophomore designated player Kayla Saliga (Asheboro, N.C.) belted a two-run walk-off homer in the bottom of the seventh inning of game one Wednesday afternoon, while freshman right-hander Stacey Houser (Mooresville, N.C.) went 14 innings without allowing an earned run, picking up two victories to lead Wingate to a doubleheader sweep over visiting Catawba College. The ‘Dogs took game one 2-0, while winning 3-1 in game two to improve to 25-18-1 overall and 7-9 in the SAC. Catawba falls to 28-16 overall and 9-7 in the conference. Wingate has won seven of its last eight games overall, while winning six of its last eight SAC contests.

Game One: Wingate 2, Catawba 0

Saliga had a homer and two RBI to lead the Wingate attack in game one. Senior outfielder Kelsey Maffucci (Rockledge, Fla.) was two-for-two with a double, while senior first baseman Brittany Loudermilt (Stony Point, N.C.) added a double.

Catawba was held to just one hit in game one, a single into center from Emily Huneycutt in the second inning. Houser retired 11 straight at one point in the game, not allowing a base runner in the third, fourth or fifth inning.

Wingate nearly got on the board in the sixth. Maffucci led off the frame with a bunt single. Loudermilt followed by hitting one off the top of the fence in left center, good for a double to send Maffucci to third. Catawba’s Carley Tysinger got a popout and groundout to get out of the jam.

Houser worked around a two-out error in the seventh, retiring the final Catawba hitter via strikeout to send the game to the bottom of the seventh.

Freshman infielder Emily Usiak (Matthews, N.C.) drew a one-out walk in the seventh. Saliga followed by crushing an 0-1 pitch over the fence in left, her second of the season to give the Bulldogs a dramatic 2-0 victory.

Houser registered her 17th win of the year in game one, allowing just one hit while striking out four and walking two in seven innings of work. Tysinger took the loss, falling to 22-7. She allowed two runs on five hits in 6 1/3 innings, striking out five and walking two.

Game Two: Wingate 3, Catawba 1

Maffucci was two-for-four with a double, two RBI and a run scored to lead the Wingate attack in game two. Junior infielder Hayley Whitley (Monroe, N.C.) was one-for-two with an RBI, while Loudermilt went two-for-four. Saliga added a double and a run scored for the Bulldogs.

Tara Gibbs was one-for-three with an RBI to lead the Catawba attack in game two. Amanda Terry was one-for-three with a run scored for the Indians.

Wingate jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first. Maffucci lined a leadoff double to left center field, then went to third on a groundout. She scored on Whitley’s RBI single to right center to make it 1-0.

The Bulldogs pushed the lead to three in the second. The first two hitters reached via Catawba errors, while a groundout put runners on second and third. Maffucci delivered with a two-run single through the right side to make it 3-0.

Catawba scored its only run of the day in the third. Terry reached on a one-out error, then went to second on a groundout. She scored on an RBI single from Gibbs to make the final margin 3-1.

Houser improved to 18-10 on the year, notching her 25th complete game of the season. She lowered her season ERA to 1.62 on Wednesday, while also notching her sixth shutout of the season. Houser allowed four hits in game two, striking out one without walking a batter. She needed just 76 pitches for the complete game in the second contest, after firing 99 pitches in game one. Emily B. Huneycutt took the loss, falling to 2-6. She allowed three runs (one earned) on two hits in 1 2/3 innings.

The Bulldogs return to action Saturday, hosting a doubleheader against Mars Hill on Senior Day at 1 p.m. Catawba hosts Newberry Saturday at 1 p.m.