Wingate, N.C.----The visiting Winston-Salem State University Rams scored four runs in the top of the ninth inning Wednesday night, erasing a 4-3 deficit en route to a 7-4 victory over Wingate University in NCAA Division II baseball action at Ron Christopher Stadium and Plyler Athletic Field. The Rams improve to 23-12 overall, while the Bulldogs fall to 22-16 on the year.
Connor Andrus and
Jacob Barber each drove in a pair of runs to lead the WSSU attack.
Des Roberts and
Alex Grubb each added two hits and an RBI for the Rams.
Freshman designated hitter
Bradley Brown (Rockingham, N.C.) was three-for-five with a homer to lead the Wingate offense. Senior outfielder
Thomas Spitz (West Chester, Pa.) added a double and an RBI, while sophomore infielder
Shane Billings (Kernersville, N.C.) and senior infielder
Michael Godinez (Cutler Bay, Fla.) each added an RBI.
Wingate scored three runs in the first two innings to take the lead. Spitz plated the first run of the game with an RBI double in the first. A Billings RBI single, followed by a Godinez sacrifice fly made it 3-0 in the second.
Winston-Salem State got on the board in the third on a sacrifice fly from Andrus. A Roberts RBI single in the fourth got the Rams within a run, while Andrus drove home the tying run later in the frame.
The Bulldogs regained the lead in the seventh when Brown connected on the seventh homer of his freshman season, a towering solo shot to right center to make it 4-3.
That would be the score in the top of the ninth. A walk and hit batsman put the first two hitters on base. The tying run scored when Andrus laid down a bunt and the throw to first was wide, allowing Culler to score from second. Barber followed with a two-run single to put WSSU on top, while Grubb's RBI single made it 7-4.
Eric Corlett got the win, moving to 6-2. He allowed a run on two hits in two innings, striking out four.
Jordan Cummings worked a scoreless ninth to earn his third save of the year, notching a strikeout. The WSSU pitching staff walked nine on the night, but the Bulldogs left 12 runners on base. Junior right-hander
Tyler Brown (Suffolk, Va.) took the loss, falling to 5-4. He allowed four runs (one earned) on three hits in one inning, striking out two and walking one. Sophomore right-hander
Cameron Price (Indian Trail, N.C.) tossed two shutout innings in relief, striking out two.
Wingate is back in action Saturday, traveling to Georgia Southwestern for a doubleheader starting at 1 p.m.