Box Score Salisbury, N.C.----For the second consecutive day, the third-seeded Bears of Lenoir-Rhyne University defeated seventh-seeded Wingate University in extra innings at the 2013 Food Lion SAC softball tournament. Lenoir-Rhyne prevailed 2-0 over the Bulldogs in eight innings to improve to 33-14 overall and advance to championship Sunday to face Catawba. Wingate is eliminated from the SAC tournament, falling to 32-20-1 overall.

The Bears scored two runs in the eighth on an Ashley Oliver sacrifice fly and an RBI groundout from Megan Laxton as starting pitcher Brandi Hole outlasted Wingate freshman Stacey Houser (Mooresville, N.C.). Hole allowed just two hits and struck out four to pick up her first win of the SAC Championship.

LRU threatened in the first with back-to-back singles with two outs, but Houser recorded a strikeout to keep the game scoreless. The Bears mounted a rally in fifth as well, but were unable to push across a run. A double by Laxton and single by Brittany Coursen put runners at the corners, but Houser got of trouble by inducing a pair of groundouts.

Wingate mounted its first serious threat in the fifth. Freshman infielder Emily Usiak (Matthews, N.C.) and sophomore designated player Kayla Saliga (Asheboro, N.C.) coaxed back-to-back walks with one out, but a back-pedaling catch by Lenoir-Rhyne shortstop Chelsey Long and a groundout got the Bears out of the inning.

A defensive play by Wingate rightfielder Kelsey Maffucci (Rockledge, Fla.) may have saved a run in the top of the sixth. Jessica Fellmeth drove a ball off the fence in right center that appeared to be ticketed for extra bases, but a nice read and strong throw by Maffucci held the Lenoir-Rhyne first baseman to a single. A double down the left field line by Oliver moved Fellmeth to third, but both runners were stranded.

Wingate nearly pushed across a run in its half of the sixth. After a bunt single by freshman outfielder Shannen Adams (Ayden, N.C.), senior first baseman Brittany Loudermilt (Stony Point, N.C.) reached on another bunt. Both runners moved into scoring position after a sacrifice by junior infielder Haley Whitley (Monroe, N.C.). After a Hole strikeout, freshman catcher Taylor Laskey (Cherryville, N.C.) ripped a line drive to left that looked to be a three-run homer off the bat, but curved just foul. Hole retired Laskey on a groundout to end the threat.

Back-to-back singles by Lauren Elder and Fellmeth set up the LRU runs in the eighth. Haily Jarman’s sacrifice bunt moved both runners into scoring position. Oliver’s sacrifice fly was just deep enough to score pinch-runner Shania Johnson, who slid in ahead of the tag to get the Bears on the board. An infield single by Laxton provided the final 2-0 margin.

Houser was tagged with the loss despite pitching eight innings of nine-hit ball for the Bulldogs. The freshman tossed 40 2/3 innings across five games and allowed just seven runs to compile a 3-2 record in the SAC Tournament.