Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

Wingate, N.C.----Wingate University sophomore catcher Taylor Laskey (Cherryville, N.C.) connected on three of the Bulldogs' six homers Tuesday afternoon as Wingate collected a pair of walk-off victories over USC Aiken in NCAA Division II softball action. The Bulldogs won game one 5-3, while prevailing 8-7 in eight innings in game two to improve to 16-10 overall. The Pacers fall to 17-6 on the season.

Game One: Wingate 5, USC Aiken 3

Laskey was two-for-three with a pair of homers to lead the Wingate attack in game one, while freshman infielder Katie McLaurin (Laurinburg, N.C.) delivered the walk-off homer in the bottom of the seventh. Sophomore outfielder Shannen Adams (Ayden, N.C.) was one-for-two with an RBI, while senior designated player Kayla Saliga (Asheboro, N.C.) had a pair of hits for the Bulldogs.

Magan Thrower and Andrea Daring both homered for the Pacers in game one. Kaitlyn White went two-for-four with an RBI for USC Aiken.

Wingate got on the board in the first when Laskey connected on her first homer of the day, a solo shot over the scoreboard in left. An RBI single from Adams in the fourth gave the 'Dogs a two-run lead.

Laskey lined her second homer of the day over the fence in left center to lead off the fifth, making it 3-0.

That would be the score in the seventh, but USC Aiken scored three times to tie it. Thrower led off the frame with a solo homer to center. Daring connected on a solo shot to left with one out to make it 3-2. A two-out RBI single from White tied the game at three.

Wingate had the answer in the bottom of the frame. Junior shortstop Alexis Burrell (Chesapeake, Va.) led off the frame with a single. After a popout, McLaurin came to the plate with one out and a runner on first. She ripped a 3-2 pitch over the fence in left center, her first career homer to give the 'Dogs the 5-3 victory.

Sophomore right-hander Stacey Houser (Mooresville, N.C.) got the win, moving to 9-4. She allowed three runs on six hits in seven innings of work, striking out five and walking three. Taylor Morgan took the loss, allowing two runs on three hits in 2 1/3 innings, striking out one.

Game Two: Wingate 8, USC Aiken 7 (8 innings)

Laskey was three-for-five with a double, homer, three RBI and two runs scored in game two. Sophomore infielder Mellena Helms (Concord, N.C.) had a homer and three runs scored, while Saliga went two-for-four with a homer and two runs scored.

Samantha Chubb went two-for-three with two homers and four RBI to lead the Aiken attack in game two. White was two-for-four with an RBI and a run scored, while Victoria Burkett went one-for-three with an RBI and a run scored.

Wingate jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first when Helms led off the inning with her third homer of the season. Saliga connected on a towering solo shot down the left field line in the second, her fourth of the season to make it 2-0.

USC Aiken got on the board in the fourth when Chubb blasted a solo shot to right center. The Pacers scored four times in the fifth to take a 5-2 lead. Thrower started the scoring with an RBI double, while Chubb delivered the big blow of the frame, a three-run homer to left to put the Pacers on top by three.

That would be the score heading to the bottom of the seventh. Helms started the frame with a walk, then scored on Laskey's third homer of the day and fourth of the year, a two-run shot to center to make it 5-4. Saliga lined a two-out double to right center, then went to third on McLaurin's single. An RBI single from freshman first baseman Amy Wingfield (Mechanicsville, Va.) tied the game at five, sending it to extras.

The Pacers scored twice in the top of the eighth to regain the lead. Burkett started the scoring with an RBI single, then scored on an RBI single from White to make it 7-5.

The Bulldogs once again had the answer, scoring three in the bottom of the eighth to win it. The first run scored on a USC Aiken throwing error on a Helms infield grounder, which would also allow Helms to reach third base with one out. Laskey came to the plate with two outs and lined a double to the fence in left center to tie the game at seven. Burrell followed with the game-winning RBI double off the fence in center, giving the 'Dogs an 8-7 victory.

Freshman left-hander Taylor Bates (Peachland, N.C.) got the win, moving to 6-6 on the year. She allowed six earned runs on eight hits in eight innings, striking out two. Morgan took the loss in game two for the Pacers, allowing five earned runs on 10 hits in 7 2/3 innings, falling to 6-6 on the year.

Wingate returns to action Saturday, opening SAC play at home against Tusculum at 2 p.m.