Softball | 3/9/2017 4:11:00 PM

| Box Score 2 Wingate, N.C.----The Wingate University Bulldogs won a pair of games against visiting Lees-McRae College Thursday afternoon, sweeping a doubleheader in NCAA Division II softball action. Wingate won the first game 2-0, while prevailing 11-4 in game two to finish off the sweep, improving to 12-12 on the year. Lees-McRae falls to 8-16 on the season.

Game One: Wingate 2, Lees-McRae 0

Sophomore right-hander Rachel Weidner (Greenville, N.C.) tossed a three-hit shutout in game one, while sophomore outfielder Naomi Sapp (Guyton, Ga.) contributed a hit, RBI and run scored to the offense. Freshman Rebekah Woods (Sylvania, Ga.) added a hit and an RBI for the Bulldogs, while sophomore Taylor Wells (Chesterfield, Va.) also scored a run. Freshman Mary Claire Coyne (Knoxville, Tenn.) collected a pair of hits in game one.

Wingate did all of its damage in the third, scoring two runs with two outs. Wells reached second on an error, then scored the first run of the game on Sapp's RBI single. Woods followed with an RBI single to right center to plate Sapp and make it 2-0.

That would be plenty for Weidner, who moves to 5-5 on the season. The sophomore allowed just three singles in seven innings of work, tossing her third shutout of the season while striking out seven and walking just one. Kara Cunningham took the loss, falling to 5-5. She allowed two runs on five hits in six innings of work, striking out seven and walking two.

Game Two: Wingate 11, Lees-McRae 4

Wells went two-for-two with a homer, three RBI and two runs scored to lead the Wingate attack in game two. Sapp added two hits including a homer, driving in three runs, while McLaurin also homered for Wingate in game two, driving in a pair of runs. Freshman Emma Swenson (Matthews, N.C.) was two-for-three with an RBI and two runs scored, while classmate Jordan Floyd (Wilmington, N.C.) drove in a pair of runs. Senior Misty Doran (Century, Fla.) added two hits and two runs scored for the Bulldogs.

Lees-McRae jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the top of the first, starting with a two-run double from Emily Merriam. Noel Cassidy added an RBI single to give the Bobcats a three-run advantage.

Wingate got on the board in the fourth, scoring five times to take the lead. A walk, Doran double and hit batsman loaded the bases for Swenson, who drew a bases-loaded walk to get the 'Dogs on the board. Floyd followed with a sacrifice fly to get Wingate within one. Wells followed with the big blow of the frame, connecting on her first career homer, a three-run bomb off the scoreboard in the left to give the Bulldogs a 5-3 lead.

An RBI single from Valerie Hickey in the top of the fifth got Lees-McCrae within a run at 5-4.

The Bulldogs scored six more runs in the fifth to take a seven-run advantage. McLaurin started the scoring with a two-run homer to left, her fourth of the year to make it 7-4. Floyd's sacrifice fly put the 'Dogs on top by four, while Sapp would blow things open with a three-run homer to right center, her second of the season to make it 11-4.

Freshman right-hander Aubrey Reep (Eastover, N.C.) got the win, moving to 7-7. She allowed four runs (one earned) on five hits in four innings of work, striking out two and walking one. Weidner worked the last three innings to notch her second save of the year, allowing three hits without giving up a run. Charlie Dutton took the loss, falling to 0-6. She allowed five runs on five hits in four innings, striking out two and walking two.

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