Wingate, N.C.----The Wingate University baseball team scored 12 runs on 14 hits and received 5 1/3 innings of scoreless relief pitching on the way to a 12-5 NCAA Division II victory over the University of Charleston (W.Va.) Saturday at Ron Christopher Stadium and Plyler Athletic Field. Wingate is 9-1 overall, while Charleston is 0-2 overall.
 
The Bulldogs scored five runs in the first three innings to take a 5-0 lead. In the first, Wingate scored one run without a hit. In the second, junior third baseman Tyler Schneider (Richland, Ind.) had a two-RBI double. In the third, senior designated hitter Bradley Brown (Hamlet, N.C.) led off the frame with a towering home run. Senior shortstop Brett Branton (Athens, Ga.) had a sacrifice fly later in the third.
 
Charleston scored five runs on six hits and two Wingate errors in the fourth inning to knot the score 5-5. The two Bulldog miscues meant only one of the runs was earned. Four different Golden Eagles had RBI in the fourth frame.
 
Wingate took the lead for good with two runs in the bottom of the sixth inning. Schneider had an RBI single, while Brown had an RBI double. For good measure, the Bulldogs added five runs (on four hits) in the seventh inning to put the game out of reach.
 
Bulldog junior first baseman Zach Little (Troutman, N.C.) had three hits to lead the hosts. Four teammates had two hits each, including Schneider, who was two-for-four with a team-high three RBI. Branton and Brown both had two hits and two RBI each.
 
Wingate sophomore right-hander Alex Rodriguez (Kannapolis, N.C.) and senior lefty Alon Smith (Charlotte, N.C.) combined to pitch 5 1/3 innings of two-hit relief. Rodriguez twirled 3 1/3 innings of hitless ball, collecting the victory (2-0 overall) with four strikeouts and one walk. Smith finished, pitching two innings with two hits allowed. He struck out two and walked none.