Pembroke, N.C.----The UNC Pembroke Braves rallied twice Wednesday afternoon, sweeping a doubleheader against visiting Wingate University in NCAA Division II softball action. The Braves won 3-2 in game one, while prevailing 5-4 in nine innings in game two despite a three-homer day from Wingate junior Katie McLaurin (Laurinburg, N.C.) UNCP improves to 22-21-1 overall, while the Bulldogs fall to 22-12 on the season.

Game One: UNC Pembroke 3, Wingate 2

Savannah Melvin had a homer and two RBI to lead the UNCP attack in game one, while Whitney Jackson was three-for-three with an RBI and a run scored for the Braves.

McLaurin was two-for-three with a homer for the Bulldogs, while junior infielder Misty Doran (Century, Fla.) also had a pair of hits, scoring a run. Senior infielder Emily Usiak (Matthews, N.C.) drove in a run for Wingate in game one.

McLaurin gave the Bulldogs a 1-0 lead in the top of the second when she led off the frame with a solo shot to left, her third of the year. Doran led off the fourth with a double, then scored on a Usiak sacrifice fly to make it 2-0.

Melvin tied the game in the bottom of the fourth with a two-run homer to left.

That was the score in the bottom of the seventh. After the first two hitters were retired, a Wingate error allowed Jamie Johnson to reach first. She then stole second and scored the game-winning run on a Jackson RBI single.

Katie Saunders got the win, moving to 12-11. She allowed two runs on five hits in seven innings, striking out five. Senior right-hander Stacey Houser (Mooresville, N.C.) took the loss, falling to 12-9. She allowed two earned runs on seven hits in 6 2/3 innings, striking out six and walking two.

Game Two: UNC Pembroke 5, Wingate 4 (9 innings)

Abbey Walters had a triple, homer and two RBI to lead the UNCP offense in game two. Taylor Gerhart added two hits, an RBI and a run scored, while Lexie Coxe also drove in a run for the Braves.

McLaurin was two-for-two with a pair of homers to lead the Wingate attack, while also drawing two walks. Sophomore outfielder Morgan Hendrix (Mocksville, N.C.) was two-for-four with a double, triple, RBI and run scored, while senior catcher Taylor Laskey (Cherryville, N.C.) also drove in a run for the Bulldogs.

McLaurin's second homer of the day and fourth of the year gave the 'Dogs a 1-0 lead in the top of the second. The junior connected on her second homer of game two and third of the day in the fourth, another solo shot to let to make it 2-0.

UNCP got within a run in the bottom of the sixth on an RBI triple from Walters. The Braves tied the game in the bottom of the seventh on Coxe's two-out RBI single, sending the game to extras at 2-2.

An RBI double from Hendrix in the top of the eighth put Wingate back on top, while Laskey followed with an RBI groundout to make it 4-2.

UNC Pembroke had the answer, scoring twice in the bottom of the frame to tie it. The first run scored on a Wingate error, while a solo shot from Walters made it 4-4.

The Bulldogs failed to score in the ninth, when the potential go-ahead run was thrown out at home on a flyout from Usiak. The Braves won the game in the bottom of the ninth on Gerhart's RBI single.

Taylor Strickland got the win, moving to 5-5. She allowed four runs on four hits in nine innings, striking out three and walking four. Freshman right-hander Rachel Weidner (Greenville, N.C.) took the loss, falling to 10-3. She allowed three earned runs on nine hits in 8 1/3 innings, striking out eight.

Wingate is back in action Saturday, hosting a doubleheader against Tusculum at 1 p.m.