Florence, S.C.----A day after piling up 16 runs, the Wingate University Bulldogs were unable to get the offense going, falling 2-0 at Francis Marion University in NCAA Division II baseball action. The Patriots cap a perfect opening weekend, moving to 3-0 on the year, while Wingate falls to 1-2 on the season.
Zach Paquette went one-for-three with an RBI to lead the FMU offense.
William Robbins was two-for-three with a double and a run scored, while
Brooks Kennedy also had two hits including a double for the Patriots.
Tee Dubose added a hit and a run scored.
Sophomore catcher
Micah Goodwin (Rougemont, N.C.) was two-for-four with a double to lead the Wingate attack. Junior outfielder
Ty Andrus (Winston-Salem, N.C.) also had a pair of hits for the Bulldogs.
After three scoreless innings, Francis Marion got on the board in the bottom of the fourth. Robbins and Dubose started the frame with back-to-back singles, while a sacrifice put them on second and third with one out. Robbins scored the first run on a wild pitch, while Paquette's RBI single plated Dubose, making it 2-0.
The Bulldogs had their chances Sunday, but left nine runners on base. Wingate had a hit in each of the first two innings, while collecting a pair of hits in the third, but
Reece Daniel (Asheboro, N.C.) was thrown out trying to score from third on a wild pitch. A hit batsman and
Austin Turgeon (Athens, Ga.) single put two on in the fourth, but a popout and two strikeouts ended the threat.
Zach Little (Troutman, N.C.) and
Colby Barnette (Monroe, N.C.) strung together two-out singles in the fifth, but that threat was halted by a strikeout. A hit batsman and Goodwin double put runners on second and third with one out for the Bulldogs in the sixth, but a strikeout and groundout ended the inning.
Austin Hawley got the win, moving to 1-0. He tossed five shutout innings, allowing seven hits while striking out five.
Cole Hinnant notched his first save of the year, going 3 2/3 innings without allowing a hit, striking out four. Junior right-hander
Hunter Morgan (Summerfield, N.C.) took the loss, falling to 0-1. He allowed two runs on eight hits in 6 1/3 innings, striking out six. Junior left-hander
Kory Behenna (Bahama, N.C.) added 1 2/3 shutout innings in relief, striking out three without allowing a hit.
The Bulldogs are back in action Wednesday, hosting USC Aiken in their home opener at 3 p.m.