Wingate, N.C.----The Wingate University Bulldogs rallied for a 4-2 victory in game one of Wednesday's South Atlantic Conference softball doubleheader, while Newberry College took the second game 3-1. Wingate moves to 25-13 overall and 10-6 in the SAC, while the Wolves are 25-17 overall and 6-10 in the conference.
Game One: Wingate 4, Newberry 2Sophomore outfielder
Morgan Hendrix (Mocksville, N.C.) was one-for-two with a pair of RBI to lead the Wingate offense. Senior outfielder
Shannen Adams (Ayden, N.C.) contributed a hit, RBI and run scored for the Bulldogs, while senior infielder
Mellena Helms (Concord, N.C.) also drove in a run.
Newberry took a 2-0 lead in the top of the first on a
Jeri Loffler RBI single.
Wingate cut the lead in half in the third. A walk and single put two on with two outs for Adams, who ripped an RBI single up the middle to make it 2-1.
The Bulldogs scored three times in the fourth to take the lead. A pair of walks and a hit batsman loaded the bases with two outs. Helms drew a bases-loaded walk to tie the game. Hendrix followed with a go-ahead two-run single, giving the 'Dogs a 4-2 advantage.
Senior right-hander
Stacey Houser (Mooresville, N.C.) got the win, moving to 15-9. She allowed two unearned runs on six hits in seven innings of work, striking out six and walking one.
Maude McCourry took the loss, falling to 13-8. She allowed four runs on three hits in six innings, striking out one and walking five.
Game Two: Newberry 3, Wingate 1McCourry and
Briana Clontz each had a hit and an RBI to lead the Newberry attack in game two, while Loffler also contributed an RBI for the Wolves.
Junior infielder
Katie McLaurin (Laurinburg, N.C.) homered to lead the Wingate offense. Five other Bulldogs collected one hit apiece in game two.
The Wolves scored three times in the top of the first, taking advantage of two Wingate errors. Clontz and McCourry each contributed RBI singles in the frame.
Wingate got on the board in the second when McLaurin led off the frame with her sixth homer of the year, a solo shot to left to make it 3-1.
The Bulldogs had chances in the late innings. A walk, error and single loaded the bases with one out in the fifth. A line drive off the bat of
Taylor Laskey (Cherryville, N.C.) was fielded on the short hop in the infield, causing confusion on the base paths and eventually leading to an inning-ending double play. A hit, error and walk loaded the bases with two outs in the bottom of the seventh, but a groundout ended the contest.
Devon Morrison got the win to move to 9-8 on the year. She allowed a run on six hits in seven innings, striking out one and walking three. Houser took the loss, falling to 15-10. She allowed three unearned runs on just three hits in seven innings, striking out three and walking two.
The Bulldogs are back in action Saturday, traveling to Carson-Newman for a 1 p.m. doubleheader.
