Box Score 1 | Box Score 2  

Spartanburg, S.C.----The Wingate University Bulldogs dropped a pair of one-run contests Friday night on day one of the Mid-South Classic. Wingate lost the opening contest 4-2 against Flagler College, while Columbus State rallied for a 3-2 victory in the second game of the evening. The Bulldogs fall to 12-4 on the season.

Flagler 4, Wingate 2

Melanie Oliver was two-for-three with a triple, RBI and run scored to lead the Flagler attack. Molly Whittington was two-for-three with an RBI and two runs scored, while Lauren Bessent went two-for-four with an RBI for the Saints.

Sophomore outfielder Shannen Adams (Ayden, N.C.) went one-for-three with an RBI to lead the Wingate offense. Junior shortstop Alexis Burrell (Chesapeake, Va.) was two-for-three with a run scored, while sophomore catcher Taylor Laskey (Cherryville, N.C.) had a double and a run scored for the Bulldogs.

An RBI triple from Oliver gave Flagler a 1-0 lead in the top of the first.

The Bulldogs scored twice in the fourth to take the lead. Laskey led off the inning with a double, then went to third on a Burrell single. Laskey scored on a passed ball to tie the game, while an RBI single from Adams put Wingate on top 2-1.

An RBI single from Whittington in the fifth tied the game at two. Bessent added an RBI single later in the frame to put the Saints back on top. A sacrifice fly from Christina Caravano in the seventh made it 4-2.

Kalyn Loverich got the win, moving to 6-4. She allowed two runs on seven hits in seven innings, striking out three. Freshman left-hander Taylor Bates (Peachland, N.C.) took the loss, falling to 4-3. She allowed three earned runs on seven hits in seven innings of work, striking out one.

Columbus State 3, Wingate 2

Morgan Knight was two-for-three with an RBI and run scored to lead the Columbus State attack, while Casey Googe went two-for-two with an RBI. Chandler Padgett was one-for-one with an RBI, while Kodi Ricketson added a pair of hits and a run scored for the Cougars.

Freshman outfielder Olivia Smith (Chesapeake, Va.) went two-for-three with an RBI to lead the Wingate attack. Freshman first baseman Amy Wingfield (Mechanicsville, Va.) also drove in a run for the Bulldogs, while sophomore infielder Mellena Helms (Concord, N.C.) had a triple and a run scored.

Wingate jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the top of the first, with Helms leading off the game with a triple, then scoring on an RBI single from Smith.

Burrell led off the fourth by drawing a walk, then went to third on an error. She scored on a sacrifice fly from Wingfield to make it 2-0.

The Cougars tied it with two runs in the fifth. Knight plated the first run with an RBI double, then scored on an RBI double from Googe to make it 2-2.

Columbus State took the lead in the sixth on an RBI double from Padgett.

Kristen Carr got the win, improving to 6-1. She allowed two runs on three hits in seven innings of work, striking out nine and walking three. Sophomore right-hander Stacey Houser (Mooresville, N.C.) took the loss, falling to 7-1. She allowed three runs on eight hits in six innings, striking out two.

The Bulldogs are back in action Saturday on day two of the Mid-South Classic. Wingate takes on 11th-ranked North Georgia at 12 p.m., then faces UNC Pembroke at 2 p.m. The Bulldogs have two more games Sunday afternoon, taking on Lander at 12 p.m. and No. 6 Armstrong Atlantic at 4 p.m.