Greeneville, Tenn.----The Wingate University Bulldogs won a pair of extra-inning games Saturday afternoon, sweeping a doubleheader at Tusculum College in South Atlantic Conference baseball action. Wingate rallied for a 10-8 win in 10 innings in game one, while prevailing 3-1 in 10 innings of a scheduled seven-inning contest in game two. The Bulldogs improve to 21-16 overall and 6-9 in the SAC, while the Pioneers fall to 25-10 overall and 9-6 in the conference.
Game One: Wingate 10, Tusculum 8 (10 innings)Seniors
Bill Krebs (West Chester, Pa.) and
Tyler Simmons (Charlotte, N.C.) each drove in two runs to lead the Wingate offense in game one. Junior infielder
Colby Barnette (Monroe, N.C.) was four-for-five with two doubles and a run scored, while freshman infielder
Bailey Connell (Waxhaw, N.C.) added three hits, an RBI and a run scored for the Bulldogs. Junior outfielder
Shane Billings (Kernersville, N.C.) contributed an RBI and a run scored, while freshman outfielder
Matthew Grecco (Norfolk, Va.) scored a pair of runs for the 'Dogs.
Kevin Victoriano had two doubles, a homer, three RBI and three runs scored to lead the Tusculum attack in game one.
Nick Lacina added two hits and four RBI, while
Creighton Wilke contributed an RBI and a run scored.
Tusculum took a 3-0 lead in the first, getting an RBI double from Victoriano and a two-run single from Lacina. Victoriano led off the third with a solo homer to make it 4-0.
Wingate cut the lead in half in the top of the fourth. Barnette started the frame with a single, then moved to second on a walk. An error allowed the first run to score, while an RBI single from Connell plated Simmons to make it 4-2.
The Pioneers responded with three runs in the bottom of the fourth to take a five-run lead. Victoriano's RBI double started the scoring, while Lacina again followed with a two-run single, giving the Pioneers a 7-2 advantage.
Wingate started chipping away at the lead in the sixth, which Simmons started with a double. An RBI single from Billings got the Bulldogs within four. Barnette started the seventh with a double, then scored on a Simmons RBI single to make it 7-4.
The Bulldogs scored twice in the eighth to cut the lead to one. Connell started the rally with a one-out single, then moved to second on a walk. A groundout put runners on second and third with two outs for Krebs, who delivered a two-run single to make it 7-6.
Freshman infielder
Zach Little (Troutman, N.C.) was hit by a pitch to start the top of the ninth, then stole second and moved to third on an error. He scored the tying run on an RBI groundout from Simmons, sending the game to extra innings.
Grecco reached on a one-out single in the 10th, then stole second. A pair of walks loaded the bases, while a wild pitch allowed Grecco to score the go-ahead run. An RBI groundout from Little pushed the lead to two, while another wild pitch allowed Krebs to score, giving the 'Dogs a 10-7 lead.
Senior right-hander
Tyler Brown (Suffolk, Va.) got the win, moving to 4-1. He allowed a run on one hit in two innings of work, striking out three and walking one.
Devan Watts took the loss, falling to 0-3. He allowed six runs on three hits in 2 1/3 innings, striking out two and walking three.
Game Two: Wingate 3, Tusculum 1 (10 innings)Krebs had an RBI and a run scored to lead the Wingate attack in game two, while Billings added three hits and a run scored. Simmons also contributed three hits for the Bulldogs.
Wingate took a 1-0 lead in the fourth. Little reached on a one-out error, then scored after a Simmons single and Tusculum error.
The Pioneers tied it in the bottom of the frame on a
Zach Lippencott sacrifice fly.
That was all of the scoring until the 10th. Billings started the frame with a single, then moved to second on a wild pitch. He scored the go-ahead run on a Krebs RBI single. A Tusculum error would allow Krebs to score, making it 3-1.
Three walks loaded the bases for Tusculum in the bottom of the 10th, but Brown came in and induced a game-ending popout.
Junior right-hander
Cameron Price (Indian Trail, N.C.) got the win, moving to 3-0. He tossed two shutout innings, striking out two and walking three while allowing two hits. Brown notched his fourth save of the season by recording the final out of the contest. Junior right-hander
Brandon Donahue (Charlotte, N.C.) allowed an unearned run on three hits in 5 1/3 innings for Wingate, striking out five.
Ethan Carpenter took the loss, falling to 4-3. He allowed two runs on nine hits in nine innings, striking out six and walking three.
The Bulldogs are back in action Tuesday, hosting Winston-Salem State at 6 p.m.
