Box Score Savannah, Ga.----The top-seeded and fourth-ranked Pirates of Armstrong Atlantic scored a pair of runs in the third inning Friday afternoon, rallying for a 2-1 victory over eighth-seeded Wingate University on day one of the 2013 NCAA Southeast Regional softball tournament. The Pirates improve to 37-7-1 overall, advancing to take on Columbus State Saturday at 11 a.m. Wingate falls to 32-21-1 overall and will face Mount Olive Saturday at 1:30 p.m.

Peyton Roth was three-for-three with a run scored to lead the Armstrong attack. Alexis Mercer went one-for-three with a double and an RBI for the Pirates, while Hannah Reppert also drove in a run.

Junior infielder Hayley Whitley (Monroe, N.C.) was two-for-three with an RBI to lead the Wingate attack. Senior outfielder Kelsey Maffucci (Rockledge, Fla.) added a hit and a run scored for the Bulldogs, while sophomore designated player Kayla Saliga (Asheboro, N.C.) was one-for-two while also drawing a walk.

Wingate jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the top of the first. Maffucci led off the game with a single up the middle, then went to second on a sacrifice from freshman outfielder Shannen Adams (Ayden, N.C.). She would score on Whitley’s RBI single to right to give the ‘Dogs a 1-0 advantage.

Armstrong did its damage in the third inning. A one-out walk, followed by a single put two one with one out for the Pirates. Mercer tied the game with an RBI double down the left field line, while a sacrifice fly from Reppert would plate Roth to give Armstrong the 2-1 lead.

Wingate would threaten in the sixth when a one-out walk and Whitley single put runners on the corners with two outs. A flyout would end the inning to get Armstrong starter Megan Barnwell out of the jam.

Barnwell got the win to improve to 24-4 on the year. She allowed a run on five hits in seven innings, striking out two and walking two. Freshman right-hander Stacey Houser (Mooresville, N.C.) took the loss, falling to 23-13. She allowed two runs on eight hits in six innings of work.