Hickory, N.C.----The Wingate University Bulldogs picked up a 2-1 victory in game one Thursday afternoon, while the Lenoir-Rhyne University Bears prevailed 6-0 in game two of Thursday's South Atlantic Conference softball doubleheader. The Bulldogs move to 17-11 overall and 6-2 in the SAC, while the Bears go to 23-12 overall and 4-5 in the conference.
Game One: Wingate 2, Lenoir-Rhyne 1Junior infielder
Emily Usiak (Matthews, N.C.) had a double, homer and two RBI to lead the Wingate offense in game one. Senior shortstop
Alexis Burrell (Chesapeake, Va.) added a double for the Bulldogs.
Madison Carter went two-for-three with an RBI to lead the LRU attack.
Ashley Oliver was one-for-three with a run scored for the Bears.
The Bears had a good chance to score in the bottom of the first, using a walk, single and sacrifice to put runners on second and third with one out, but junior right-hander
Stacey Houser (Mooresville, N.C.) got out of the jam with back-to-back strikeouts.
Wingate took the lead in the top of the second when Usiak connected on her sixth homer of the year, a solo shot to right center to make it 1-0.
The Bears tied the game in the bottom of the frame. Oliver got it started with a one-out triple, then scored on an RBI single from Carter to make it 1-1.
Two walks and a single loaded the bases for the Bears in the fourth, but Houser again got out of the frame with a strikeout.
Junior catcher
Taylor Laskey (Cherryville, N.C.) started the fifth with a single. Pinch runner
Meagan Martucci (Huntersville, N.C.) moved to second on a sacrifice, then scored on Usiak's RBI double to make it 2-1.
Houser worked 1-2-3 innings in the fifth and sixth, then worked around a one-out walk in the seventh, getting a popout and groundout to end the game.
Houser improved to 11-7 with the win. The All-SAC and All-Region selection from last year improved to 11-7 on the year, notching her 14th complete game of the season. She allowed a run on six hits in seven innings of work, striking out five and walking three.
Brandi Hole took the loss, falling to 11-8. She allowed two runs on nine hits in 6 1/3 innings, striking out seven and walking three.
Game Two: Lenoir-Rhyne 6, Wingate 0Jordin Phillips went three-for-four with a double, homer and three RBI to lead the LRU attack in game two.
Averi Miller was one-for-two with a pair of RBI, while
Brittany Coursen had a double and an RBI for the Bears.
Burrell went two-for-three with a double for the Bulldogs, while Laskey also had a pair of hits for Wingate in game two.
An error, walk and single loaded the bases for the Bulldogs with one out in the first, but a strikeout and groundout ended the threat.
LRU scored a run in each of the first two innings. An RBI double from Phillips in the first game the Bears a 1-0 lead, while Coursen's RBI double in the second pushed the lead to two.
Lenoir-Rhyne took a four-run lead in the third on a two-run homer from Phillips. Miller added a two-run single in the fifth to make it 6-0.
The Bulldogs had at least one hitter reach base in six of the seven innings. Wingate left 12 runners on base in game two.
Maryann Hoskins got the win, moving to 13-3 on the year. She went the distance without allowing a run, giving up seven hits while striking out six and walking four. Houser took the loss, falling to 11-8. She allowed four runs on five hits in 2 1/3 innings of work.
The Bulldogs are back in action Saturday, traveling to Anderson for a doubleheader starting at 2 p.m.
