Wingate, N.C.----The Catawba College Indians swept a doubleheader at Wingate University Saturday afternoon in South Atlantic Conference baseball action at Ron Christopher Stadium and Plyler Athletic Field. The Indians won the first game 10-3, while prevailing 5-3 in game two to improve to 31-16 overall and 17-6 in the SAC. Wingate falls to 27-20 overall and 11-12 in the conference.
Game One: Catawba 10, Wingate 3
Malachi Hanes had a triple, homer, three RBI and two runs scored to lead the Catawba attack in game one.
Will Albertson added a double, RBI and run scored, while
Luke Setzer had two hits, an RBI and two runs scored.
Bryce Fowler and
Chance Bowden each added a hit and an RBI for the Indians.
Senior first baseman
Tyler Simmons (Charlotte, N.C.) homered to lead the Wingate attack. Junior infielder
Colby Barnette (Monroe, N.C.) added an RBI, while junior outfielder
Shane Billings (Kernersville, N.C.) collected a double and a run scored for the Bulldogs.
The Indians plated five runs in the third to break a scoreless tie. Setzer and Albertson plated the first two runs with back-to-back RBI doubles, while a two-run triple from Hanes made it 4-0. Fowler plated the fifth run of the frame with an RBI single.
Setzer led off the seventh with a double, then scored on Bowden's sacrifice fly to make it 6-0.
Jeremy Simpson's squeeze bunt in the eighth put the Indians on top by seven. A pair of Wingate errors allowed two more runs to score in the frame, making it 9-0.
The Bulldogs got on the board in the bottom of the eighth when Simmons connected on his third homer of the year, a solo shot to right to make it 9-1. Hanes answered with a solo shot in the top of the ninth to push the lead back to nine.
Billings led off the bottom of the ninth with a double, then scored on Barnette's RBI single. A wild pitch allowed another run to score, making the final margin 10-3.
Shaefer Shepard got the win, moving to 5-4. He allowed three runs on seven hits in nine innings of work, striking out 10 without walking a batter. Senior left-hander
Jordan Newsome (Matthews, N.C.) took the loss, falling to 6-5. He allowed six runs on eight hits in seven innings of work, striking out five and walking two.
Game Two: Catawba 5, Wingate 3
Albertson was two-for-four with a homer and two runs scored to lead the Catawba attack in game two.
Kyle Smith went two-for-three with an RBI and a run scored, while
Dylan Richardson added an RBI for the Indians.
Barnette homered to lead the Wingate attack. Sophomore
Bradley Brown (Rockingham, N.C.) and senior
Bill Krebs (West Chester, Pa.) each added a hit and an RBI, while Simmons was two-for-three.
Catawba jumped out to a 1-0 lead when Albertson connected on a solo shot down the left field line in the top of the first.
Wingate tied it in the bottom of the second when Barnette led off the frame with a towering solo shot over the scoreboard in left, his fourth of the year.
The Indians regained the lead on Richardson's RBI single in the top of the third. Wingate answered with a run in the bottom of the frame, tying it on a Krebs RBI double.
Catawba scored three times in the fourth to take a three-run lead. Bowden plated the first run with an RBI groundout, while Smith's RBI single made it 4-2. The third run of the frame scored on a Wingate error.
The Bulldogs cut into the lead in the fifth. Freshman
Matthew Grecco (Norfolk, Va.) reached on a one-out single, moved to second on a wild pitch, then scored on Brown's RBI single, making it 5-3.
Sean Grant got the win, moving to 5-3. He allowed three runs on six hits in 4 2/3 innings, striking out four and walking one.
Bryan Blanton worked two shutout innings to notch his eighth save of the year. Junior right-hander
Brandon Donahue (Charlotte, N.C.) took the loss, falling to 6-3. He allowed four earned runs on seven hits in 5 2/3 innings, striking out six.
Wingate and Catawba wrap up the three-game series Sunday afternoon at 3 p.m. in the regular season finale. With a win, the Bulldogs would be guaranteed a spot in the SAC Tournament.
