Box Score 1 | Box Score 2  

Wingate, N.C.----Wingate University freshman catcher Taylor Laskey (Cherryville, N.C.) had a homer and seven RBI Wednesday afternoon, while freshman right-hander Stacey Houser (Mooresville, N.C.) picked up a pair of wins in the circle to lead the Bulldogs to a doubleheader sweep over the visiting Tornados of Brevard College in South Atlantic Conference softball action Wednesday afternoon. Wingate won game one 9-3, while prevailing 10-1 in five innings in the second game to improve to 22-17-1 overall and 4-8 in the SAC. Brevard falls to 13-27 overall and 3-11 in the conference. 

Game One: Wingate 9, Brevard 3

Laskey had a homer and three RBI to lead the Wingate offense. Freshman outfielder Shannen Adams (Ayden, N.C.) added two hits and two RBI, while junior infielder Hayley Whitley (Monroe, N.C.) was two-for-three with a homer and two runs scored. Senior outfielder Kasey Pendley (Marion, N.C.) was three-for-four with a run scored, while sophomore designated player Kayla Saliga (Asheboro, N.C.) had two hits and two runs scored. 

Ally Davenport was one-for-three with two RBI to lead the Brevard offense. Alyssa Miller was two-for-four with a double and an RBI, while Brittany Tucker was two-for-three with a run scored. 

Wingate got on the board in the second when Whitley connected on her third homer of the year, a solo shot to left to make it 1-0. 

Brevard took the lead when Davenport’s two-run single in the fourth made it 2-1. 

The Bulldogs answered with six runs in the bottom of the frame. Laskey got it started with a three-run homer to left, her third of the season to put Wingate on top 4-2. An RBI single from Adams pushed the lead to three, while senior first baseman Brittany Loudermilt (Stony Point, N.C.) added an RBI single to make it 6-2. A passed ball plated the final run of the inning to give the ‘Dogs a five-run lead. 

Another RBI single from Adams in the fifth put Wingate on top 8-2. Burrell reached on a one-out triple in the sixth, then scored on a wild pitch to push the advantage to seven. 

Houser got the win, improving to 14-9. She allowed three runs on eight hits in seven innings of work, striking out three. Jamie Hrobak took the loss, falling to 6-11. She allowed four runs on five hits in 3 2/3 innings of work, striking out three. 

Game Two: Wingate 10, Brevard 1 (5 innings)

Laskey was three-for-three with a double and four RBI to lead the Wingate attack in game two. Saliga had a homer and three RBI for the Bulldogs, while Adams was two-for-three with an RBI and a run scored. Freshman third baseman Emily Usiak (Matthews, N.C.) added a double and an RBI, while Loudermilt was two-for-three with two runs scored. 

Wingate jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first. Loudermilt got it started with a two-out single, then scored on an RBI double from Whitley. Laskey followed with an RBI single, while Usiak’s RBI double to left center pushed the lead to three. 

The Bulldogs pushed across four more runs in the second. Pendley and senior outfielder Kelsey Maffucci (Rockledge, Fla.) started the inning with singles, while an RBI single from Adams made it 4-0. Laskey added a three-run double to left center to put the ‘Dogs on top 7-0. 

Brevard’s lone run came in the fourth, when Kayla Clemens led off the inning with a solo homer to right center to make it 7-1. 

Wingate would end the game in the bottom of the fifth. Laskey started the frame with a single, then went to third when Usiak reached on an error. Saliga would then connect on her first homer as a Bulldog, a three-run shot to left center to end the game. 

Houser got her second win of the day and 15th of the season, allowing a run on one hit in five innings of work, striking out one. Clemens took the loss, falling to 4-11. She allowed 10 runs on 12 hits in four innings of work, striking out three. 

The Bulldogs return to action Saturday, traveling to Tusculum for a 1 p.m. start. Brevard hosts Lenoir-Rhyne Saturday at 1 p.m.