Box Score  

Pembroke, N.C.----The 16th-ranked UNC Pembroke Braves scored six runs in the bottom of the eighth inning Friday night en route to an 8-2 victory over the visiting Bulldogs of Wingate University in NCAA Division II baseball action. The Braves improve to 26-10 overall while Wingate falls to 23-11 on the season.

Drew Cole went three-for-five with a homer, two RBI and three runs scored to lead the UNCP attack. Daniel Fraga added a double, two RBI and a run scored, while Zade Denton was two-for-five with an RBI. Max Gagnon added an RBI and a run scored for the Braves.

Senior outfielder Eric Serra (Miami, Fla.) was two-for-four with a homer and two RBI to lead the Wingate attack. Junior shortstop Michael Godinez (Cutler Bay, Fla.) added a hit and a run scored for the Bulldogs.

UNC Pembroke got on the board in the third when Cole connected on a solo homer to right. Dalton Knight's RBI single in the fifth gave the Braves a 2-0 lead.

Wingate got on the board in the eighth when Serra connected on his third homer of the year, a two-run shot to right to tie the game at two.

UNCP had the emphatic response in the bottom of the frame, scoring six runs to take an 8-2 lead. An RBI single from Gagnon put the Braves on top, while Fraga followed with a two-run double. Cole's RBI single put UNC Pembroke on top by four runs. A wild pitch and RBI groundout plated two more runs, making the final margin 8-2.

Zach Andrews got the win in relief, tossing 1 2/3 scoreless innings while allowing one hit, improving to 2-3 on the year. Senior right-hander Ryne Poplin (Norwood, N.C.) took the loss, falling to 0-1. He allowed three runs on two hits in 1 2/3 innings, striking out one and walking one. Senior right-hander Olen Little (Charlotte, N.C.) allowed just one earned run in 5 2/3 innings while striking out five.

The Bulldogs and Braves are back in action Saturday, meeting for a doubleheader in Wingate at 3 p.m.