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Greenville, Tenn.----The Wingate University Bulldogs split a doubleheader at Tusculum College in South Atlantic Conference softball action Saturday afternoon. Wingate won 8-4 in game one, while the Pioneers prevailed 7-4 in game two. The Bulldogs have now won five of their last six games, moving to 23-18-1 overall and 5-9 in the SAC. Tusculum moves to 26-15 overall and 10-4 in the conference. 

Game One: Wingate 8, Tusculum 4

Junior infielder Hayley Whitley (Monroe, N.C.) was three-for-five with two RBI to lead the Wingate attack. Senior first baseman Brittany Loudermilt (Stony Point, N.C.) was two-for-five with two RBI, while senior outfielder Kelsey Maffucci (Rockledge, Fla.) went two-for-four with two RBI and a run scored. Freshman catcher Taylor Laskey (Cherryville, N.C.) was two-for-three with a homer, while senior outfielder Kasey Pendley (Marion, N.C.) was three-for-four with a double and two runs scored. Sophomore designated player Kayla Saliga (Asheboro, N.C.) went two-for-four with a double, RBI and two runs scored for the Bulldogs. 

Nicole Ball was one for-three with two RBI to lead the Tusculum attack. Katie Brennan was one-for-four with an RBI, while Miranda Beeler had three hits and a run scored for the Pioneers. 

There was no scoring until the top of the sixth, when the Bulldogs plated four runs on seven hits. Laskey got it started with one out, connecting on her fourth homer of the year, a solo shot to make it 1-0. The Bulldogs followed with three consecutive singles to load the bases. Maffucci plated the first run with an RBI single, while a two-run single from Loudermilt made it 4-0. 

Tusculum responded with three runs in the bottom of the frame. A pair of bunt singles along with a hit batsman loaded the bases with no outs. The first Tusculum run would score on an error, while a two-run single from Ball made it 4-3 heading to the seventh. 

The Bulldogs added four more runs in the seventh to take an 8-3 advantage. Saliga plated the first run with an RBI double to right center, then scored on an RBI single from Maffucci to put Wingate on top by three. Whitley added a two-run single to give the ‘Dogs a five-run advantage. 

An RBI double from Brennan in the bottom of the frame made the final margin 8-4. 

Freshman right-hander Stacey Houser (Mooresville, N.C.) got the win, improving to 16-9. She allowed one earned run on eight hits in seven innings of work, striking out four. Elizabeth Johnson took the loss, falling to 12-9. She allowed five runs on 11 hits in 6 1/3 innings, striking out three. 

Game Two: Tusculum 7, Wingate 4

Lindsey Umberger had a double, homer, four RBI and two runs scored to lead the Tusculum attack in game two. Brennan added a homer and two RBI, while Kaytlin Stroinski was one-for-three with two runs scored. 

Sophomore shortstop Alexis Burrell (Chesapeake, Va.) was one-for-two with a triple, two RBI and a run scored to lead the Wingate offense in game two. Laskey was one-for-three with an RBI, while Whitley was one-for-three with an RBI and a run scored for the Bulldogs. 

A two-run homer from Brennan in the second gave the Pioneers a 2-0 lead. Umberger added an RBI single in the fourth to push the lead to three. 

The Pioneers took a seven-run lead with four runs in the fifth. Umberger provided the big blow, a three-run homer to make it 7-0. 

Wingate answered with four runs in the sixth inning. Pendley and Maffucci started the inning with singles, with the first run scoring on Whitley’s RBI groundout. Burrell plated two runs with a triple down the right field line, while Laskey’s RBI single made it 7-4. 

Kelly King got the win for Tusculum, improving to 11-6. She allowed four runs on seven hits in seven innings of work, striking out two. Houser took the loss, falling to 16-10. She allowed six runs on seven hits in 4 2/3 innings, striking out three without walking a batter. 

Wingate returns to action Wednesday, hosting a doubleheader against Catawba at 2 p.m.