Hartsville, S.C.----The third-seeded Wingate University Bulldogs staved off elimination Friday morning, defeating seventh-seeded Newberry College 7-0 on day two of the South Atlantic Conference softball tournament. Wingate improves to 31-15 overall, while Newberry ends its season at 28-22. The Bulldogs will be back in action Friday afternoon.

Freshman outfielder Naomi Sapp (Guyton, Ga.) had three hits including a homer to lead the Wingate attack. Senior outfielder Jordan Wilson (Gastonia, N.C.) was two-for-three with an RBI, while juniors Olivia Smith (Chesapeake, Va.) and Misty Doran (Century, Fla.) each contributed a hit, RBI and run scored. Senior infielder Mellena Helms (Concord, N.C.) had a hit and two runs scored for the Bulldogs.

Wingate got on the board in the third, with a hit batsman and walk putting two one. They would both score on a Newberry error to make it 2-0.

The Bulldogs scored four times in the fifth to take a six-run lead. Helms and Sapp started the frame with singles, while a walk loaded the bases. Doran started the scoring with an RBI single, while Wilson followed with an RBI single. Smith's RBI single made it 5-0, while a bases-loaded walk to senior Shannen Adams (Ayden, N.C.) put the 'Dogs on top by six.

Wingate took a 7-0 lead in the sixth when Sapp connected on her second homer of the year, a solo shot to right center.

Senior right-hander Stacey Houser (Mooresville, N.C.) got the win, moving to 20-11, collecting at least 20 wins in a season for the third time in her career. The four-time All-SAC selection tossed a three-hit shutout, striking out one and walking two. Devon Morrison took the loss, falling to 10-12. She allowed six runs on seven hits in 4 1/3 innings, striking out four and walking two.

The Bulldogs are back in action Friday at 5:30 p.m. Wingate will face the loser of the Carson-Newman vs. Lenoir-Rhyne contest in an elimination game.