Box Score  

Harrogate, Tenn.----Wingate University sophomore right-hander Stacey Houser (Mooresville, N.C.) tossed a three-hit shutout Thursday afternoon, while the Bulldog offense pounded out 13 hits in a 6-0 victory against Brevard College on day one of the Food Lion SAC softball Tournament. The third-seeded Bulldogs improve to 33-16 overall, while the sixth-seeded Tornados fall to 22-24 on the season.

Both teams are back in action Friday. Wingate will face the winner of Thursday's Anderson vs. Carson-Newman game Friday at 10 a.m. Brevard will take on the loser of the Anderson-Carson-Newman contest at 12:30 p.m. Friday in an elimination game.

Junior shortstop Alexis Burrell (Chesapeake, Va.) was three-for-four with a double and two RBI to lead the Wingate offense. Sophomore infielder Mellena Helms (Concord, N.C.) went two-for-three with a homer and three runs scored, while sophomore catcher Taylor Laskey (Cherryville, N.C.) was three-for-three with an RBI. Freshman outfielder Olivia Smith (Chesapeake, Va.) added two hits and a run scored for the Bulldogs.

Wingate jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first, with Helms leading off the frame with a single, then going to second on a sacrifice from Smith. Burrell's RBI double to center put the 'Dogs on top.

Helms led off the third inning with her team-best 11th homer of the year, a solo shot to left to make it 2-0.

The Bulldogs added three more runs in the fourth to push the lead to five. Freshman infielder Katie McLaurin (Laurinburg, N.C.) started the rally with a one-out double, then scored on an RBI single from freshman first baseman Amy Wingfield (Mechanicsville, Va.). Wingfield scored on an RBI single from Laskey, while Burrell's RBI single plated Smith to make it 5-0.

Wingate added one more run in the sixth, loading the bases with a walk and back-to-back singles from Smith and Laskey. A sacrifice fly from senior designated player Kayla Saliga (Asheboro, N.C.) plated Helms to make the final margin 6-0.

Houser allowed just three singles on the afternoon. She retired the first six hitters she faced, not allowing a runner until a leadoff single in the third. Brevard got two on with one out in the fourth, but Houser induced a pair of infield popouts to end the frame, which started a span of 10 consecutive hitters retired.

Houser notched her league-best 22nd win of the year, improving to 22-7 by tossing her 24th complete game and eighth shutout. She struck out four and walked just one, throwing 91 pitches in seven innings. The sophomore has now tossed 47 2/3 innings in her SAC Tournament career while posting a 1.03 ERA. She threw a tournament record 40 2/3 innings in 2013. Jamie Hrobak took the loss for Brevard, falling to 16-9. She allowed six runs on 13 hits in six innings of work, striking out three and walking two.