Dahlonega, Ga.----The 25th-ranked Wingate University Bulldogs dropped a tough 2-1 decision against Nova Southeastern Saturday afternoon, but rebounded for a 1-0 victory against ninth-ranked North Georgia in NCAA Division II softball action. Wingate moves to 8-2 overall, with a 2-0 mark against top 10 opponents this year. NSU is now 8-3 on the season, while North Georgia is 7-3 overall.
Nova Southeastern 2, #25 Wingate 1The Sharks scored two runs in the bottom of the sixth to rally for the victory against the Bulldogs.
Dakota Villella was one-for-two with a run scored for Nova Southeastern,
Te Reo Matautia also scored a run.
Freshman outfielder
Morgan Hendrix (Mocksville, N.C.) had the lone hit for Wingate, while junior infielder
Mellena Helms (Concord, N.C.) scored a run for the Bulldogs.
After five scoreless innings, Wingate took a 1-0 lead in the top of the sixth. Helms started the frame by reaching on an error. Hendrix followed with a double down the right field line, with Helms scoring all the way from first on the play.
Villella led off the bottom of the inning with a double, then scored the tying run on an error. The go-ahead run would then score when Matautia scored on a double steal, making it 2-1.
Rebecca Thornton got the win, moving to 7-0 on the year. She allowed a run on one hit in seven innings, striking out two and walking two. Junior right-hander
Stacey Houser (Mooresville, N.C.) took the tough loss, allowing two unearned runs on three hits in six innings of work, striking out four while falling to 4-2.
#25 Wingate 1, #9 North Georgia 0Houser tossed a four-hit shutout, while senior shortstop
Alexis Burrell (Chesapeake, Va.) went two-for-three with an RBI to lead the Wingate attack. Helms was one-for-three with a run scored, while junior outfielder
Shannen Adams (Ayden, N.C.) went one-for-two with a double.
The Bulldogs did their damage in the first inning, starting with a Helms single. Hendrix followed with a sacrifice, while Burrell delivered a two-out RBI single up the middle.
That would be all Houser would need. The 2014 All-SAC and All-Region selection would around a leadoff double in the bottom of the frame by getting a groundout, lineout and strikeout. A Hit batsman and single put two on in the fourth, but Houser induced an inning-ending groundout. A one-out double in the seventh inning was erased by a foulout and groundout to end the game.
Houser moves to 5-2 on the year, allowing just four hits while striking out one without walking a batter. She leads the SAC in wins, saves, complete games, strikeouts and innings pitched, ranking third in ERA, which is now at 1.08 after tossing 13 innings without allowing an earned run Saturday.
Courtney Poole took the loss, falling to 4-1. She allowed a run on six hits in six innings, striking out nine without walking a batter.
The Bulldogs are back in action Wednesday, hosting a doubleheader against King at 1 p.m. Wingate was scheduled to play two more games in Dahlonega on Sunday, but those contests have been canceled due to weather.
