Box Score 1 | Box Score 2  

Wingate, N.C.----The Wingate University Bulldogs plated 16 runs Sunday afternoon, sweeping an NCAA Division II softball doubleheader over the Saint of Limestone College. Wingate won the first game 4-2, while cruising to a 12-5 victory in game two. The Bulldogs finish the regular season 29-18-1 overall while the Saints fall to 22-20 on the season.

Game One: Wingate 4, Limestone 2

Senior first baseman Brittany Loudermilt (Stony Point, N.C.) and freshman catcher Taylor Laskey (Cherryville, N.C.) each had a homer and an RBI to lead the Wingate attack. Senior outfielder Kelsey Maffucci (Rockledge, Fla.) added a triple, RBI and run scored, while sophomore designated player Kayla Saliga (Asheboro, N.C.) was two-for-three with a double and a run scored for the Bulldogs.

Dallas Heaton went two-for-three with a homer and two RBI to lead the Limestone offense. Kirstyn Burleson was two-for-three with a double and a run scored for the Saints.

After three scoreless innings, the Bulldogs got on the board in the fourth when Loudermilt connected on her third homer of the year, a solo shot to left to make it 1-0. Laskey followed three batters later with her third homer in two days and seventh of the year, a solo shot to left to put Wingate on top by two.

Limestone answered with two runs in the bottom of the frame to tie it. Burleson got it started with a double, then scored on Heaton’s two-run homer to tie the game at two.

That would be all of the scoring until the seventh. Saliga ripped a one-out double to left to start the rally. Maffucci would drive her home with a two-out RBI triple to left, her third triple of the season to give the ‘Dogs a 3-2 advantage. Maffucci would then score on a Limestone error to make the final margin 4-2.

Freshman right-hander Stacey Houser (Mooresville, N.C.) got the win, improving to 20-10 on the year. She allowed two runs on seven hits in seven innings of work, striking out six and walking one. Shelby Webb took the loss, falling to 8-10. She allowed four runs on five hits in seven innings, striking out two without walking a batter.

Game Two: Wingate 12, Limestone 5

Saliga had a homer and three RBI to lead the Wingate attack in game two. Burrell went three-for-four with a double, triple and three RBI, while Laskey went three-for-four with three RBI for the Bulldogs. Junior infielder Hayley Whitley (Monroe, N.C.) went two-for-five with an RBI and two runs scored, while Loudermilt also had an RBI and run scored for Wingate.

Burleson was two-for-three with two RBI to lead the Limestone attack. Heaton added a pair of RBI for the Saints, while Paige Bolding was two-for-three with two runs scored.

An RBI double from Burleson in the bottom of the first gave the Saints an early 1-0 lead.

A squeeze bunt from senior outfielder Kasey Pendley (Marion, N.C.) in the second tied it at one.

The Bulldogs scored four in the third to take a four-run lead. Laskey got it started with an RBI single, while Saliga provided the big blow, a three-run homer to left center to make it 5-1.

Burleson’s RBI single in the third cut the lead to three, while a sacrifice fly made it 5-3.

The Bulldogs answered with three in the fourth to push the advantage to five. Whitley drove home the first run, while Burrell’s RBI single made it 7-3. Laskey followed with an RBI single to push the advantage to five.

Wingate plated four more runs in the fifth. Loudermilt drove home the first run with an RBI single. Burrell ripped a two-run double to left, while Laskey’s RBI single gave the ‘Dogs a 12-3 lead.

Limestone scored two more in the fifth, highlighted by Heaton’s RBI double to make the final score 12-5.

Sophomore right-hander Miranda Paul (Virginia Beach, Va.) got the win, improving to 9-8. She allowed five runs on seven hits in seven innings, striking out four without walking a batter. Leah Quant took the loss to fall to 10-8. She allowed five runs on eight hits in three innings, striking out three.

Wingate returns to action Thursday on day one of the Food Lion SAC Tournament. The Bulldogs take on second-seeded Anderson at 2 p.m.