Box Score  

Dahlonega, Ga.----A sixth-inning grand slam from sophomore catcher Taylor Laskey (Cherryville, N.C.) gave the fourth-seeded Wingate University Bulldogs an 8-0 victory over fifth-seeded and 24th-ranked Lenoir-Rhyne University in the opening round of the 2014 NCAA Southeast region softball tournament Saturday morning. Wingate improves to 37-18 overall, while the Bears fall to 39-14 on the season.

The game started Friday at 4 p.m. but in the top of the third inning rain stopped play for the day. Wingate advances to take on the winner of the Mount Olive vs. North Georgia game Saturday at 5 p.m. Lenoir-Rhyne will face the loser of the Mount Olive-North Georgia contest. This is the first time Wingate has won its opening game of the NCAA Tournament since 2006.

The Bulldogs are now 4-0 against the Bears this season. Wingate swept a home doubleheader against LRU in the regular season, winning 2-1 and 8-6. The Bulldogs eliminated the Bears from the SAC Tournament with a 1-0 victory.

Laskey was two-for-three with a homer and four RBI to lead the Wingate attack. Freshman infielder Katie McLaurin (Laurinburg, N.C.) went two-for-three with an RBI and a run scored, while freshman outfielder Olivia Smith (Chesapeake, Va.) added an RBI and a run scored for the Bulldogs. Sophomore infielder Emily Usiak (Matthews, N.C.) went one-for-two with an RBI.

Wingate took a 1-0 lead in the second inning on Friday. Sophomore outfielder Shannen Adams (Ayden, N.C.) reached on a one-out single, then scored on a Lenoir-Rhyne error.

The Bulldogs added to their lead in the bottom of the fourth on Saturday morning. Senior designated player Kayla Saliga (Asheboro, N.C.) drew a leadoff walk, then went to second on a sacrifice and scored on McLaurin's RBI single.

Sophomore infielder Mellena Helms (Concord, N.C.) drew a leadoff walk to start the fifth, then went to third on Laskey's single. Usiak's RBI single made it 3-0.

Wingate ended the game with a five-run sixth inning. McLaurin started the frame with a leadoff single, then went to third on a double to deep left off the bat of freshman first baseman Amy Wingfield (Mechanicsville, Va.). A walk loaded the bases, while Smith drove home a run by drawing a bases-loaded walk. Laskey followed by ending the game with her 10th homer of the year, a grand slam to left to make the final margin 8-0.

Both of Laskey's grand slams this season have come against Lenoir-Rhyne. The first team All-SAC catcher is six-for-seven with the bases loaded this season. In four games against LRU, Laskey has three homers and 12 RBI.

Sophomore right-hander Stacey Houser (Mooresville, N.C.) got the win, moving to 25-9 on the year. The first team All-SAC selection tossed six shutout innings, allowing just three hits while striking out two. Houser is 4-0 against LRU this year, allowing two runs in 25 2/3 innings of work. The sophomore now has 49 career victories. Maryann Hoskins took the loss, falling to 19-9. She allowed five runs on three hits in 1 1/3 innings, walking five.