Hartsville, S.C.----The sixth-seeded Queens University Royals defeated third-seeded Wingate University 7-5 Saturday afternoon on day three of the 2016 South Atlantic Conference softball tournament. The Royals improve to 25-26 overall, advancing to play later Saturday afternoon. Wingate is eliminated from the tournament, falling to 32-16 overall. The Bulldogs now await a possible at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament. Wingate was ranked seventh in the most recent NCAA Southeast Region poll.

Sydney Ditto, Elaina Frantellizzi and Abby Lathan all homered to lead the Queens attack. Lyndey McCurry added a double and two RBI, while Samantha Martinez contributed three hits and two runs scored.

Senior infielder Mellena Helms (Concord, N.C.) was three-for-four with a double, homer and two runs scored to lead the Wingate offense. Senior catcher Taylor Laskey (Cherryville, N.C.) also homered, while junior infielder Katie McLaurin (Laurinburg, N.C.) added two hits and an RBI. Junior Olivia Smith (Chesapeake, Va.) also drove in a run for the Bulldogs.

McCurry's RBI single in the first gave the Royals a quick 1-0 lead. Helms led off the bottom of the frame with a double, then scored on a wild pitch to make it 1-1.

Queens scored four times in the fourth to take a 5-1 lead. Lathan provided the big blow of the inning, a three-run homer to left, while McCurry's RBI double gave the Royals a four-run lead.

Smith's RBI single in the bottom of the fourth got the Bulldogs within three, but Ditto's homer in the top of the fifth made it 6-2.

Laskey led off the bottom of the fifth with her eighth homer of the year, a solo shot to center to get Wingate within three. Frantellizzi pushed the lead back to four with a solo homer in the top of the seventh.

Helms led off the bottom of the seventh with her 10th homer of the season, a solo shot to left to make it 7-4. An error and walk put two runners on base, while McLaurin's RBI single got the 'Dogs within two. Evie Scott came in and retired the last two hitters, leaving the tying run on base.

McCurry got the win, moving to 11-10. She allowed three runs on four hits in 3 1/3 innings. Scott got the save, allowing two runs on five hits in 3 2/3 innings. Freshman right-hander Rachel Weidner (Greenville, N.C.) took the loss, falling to 11-4. She allowed four runs on four hits in three innings, striking out two.