Wingate, N.C.----The UNC Pembroke Braves swept an NCAA Division II softball doubleheader over Wingate University Wednesday afternoon at the Wingate Softball Complex. UNC Pembroke won the first game 11-6 and second game 3-1. The Braves rallied with three runs in the top of the seventh inning to take the nightcap.
 
UNC Pembroke is 9-6 overall, while Wingate is 6-10 overall. The Bulldogs return home Wednesday, Feb. 28, hosting Limestone for a twin bill at 1 p.m. UNC Pembroke faces number 20 Carson-Newman Saturday in the Mid-South Classic in Duncan, S.C. First pitch is slated for 12 noon.

Game One: UNC Pembroke 11, Wingate 6

UNC Pembroke scored three in the first inning and never trailed, although the Bulldogs cut the deficit to one run on three separate occasions. Freshman designated player Cara Davis got things going for the visitors, clubbing a two-run homer in the top of the first inning to give UNC Pembroke a lead it would not relinquish.
 
Sophomore pitcher Aubrey Reep (Eastover, N.C.) hit a solo home run in the bottom of the first inning to get the Bulldogs on the board. Wingate hit four home runs in the first game, two by Reep and one each by sophomore shortstop Jordan Floyd (Wilmington, N.C.) and sophomore outfielder Rebekah Woods (Sylvania, Ga.).
 
The Braves scored two in the second inning to go up 5-1. Floyd hit a solo shot in the second inning and Reep hit a two-run homer in the third to make the score 5-4. UNC Pembroke scored a single run in the fifth before Woods went deep to cut the deficit to 6-5.
 
Davis hit her second home run of the game in the sixth to put the visitors up by two. Woods responded with an RBI single in the bottom of the sixth to make the score 7-6 Braves. The Peach Belt Conference members scored four runs in the top of the seventh for a cushion.
 
Davis led the UNCP Braves with a three-for-four performance at the plate. She had two home runs and three RBI. Three UNC Pembroke players had two hits each. Reep, Woods and sophomore outfielder Jessica VonCannon (Locust, N.C.) had two hits each for the Bulldogs. Reep led the hosts with three RBI.
 
Reep took the loss to fall to 5-4 overall. She allowed five earned runs on seven hits in 1 1/3 innings. She walked three and struck out one. Sophomore Malerie Leviner (2-2 overall) earned the victory for the Braves. In six innings, she gave up six earned runs on seven hits. Leviner struck out two and walked one.
 
Game Two: UNC Pembroke 3, Wingate 2

Wingate took an early 1-0 lead with a single run in the bottom of the first inning. WU junior outfielder Naomi Sapp (Guyton, Ga.) started the inning with a walk and a steal. VonCannon executed a sacrifice bunt to move Sapp to third. Reep plated Sapp with an RBI single to center field.
 
Wingate junior starting pitcher Rachel Weidner (Greenville, S.C.) kept the Braves off the board until UNC Pembroke plated three runs in the top of the seventh inning. Davis homered to start the seventh inning, tying the game at 1-1. UNCP senior catcher Toni Nelson and junior outfielder Bailey Hoch plated runs with a sacrifice fly and a single, respectively, giving the Braves the victory.
 
With one out in the seventh, VonCannon singled, moved to second on an error and advanced to third on a wild pitch. Reep plated VonCannon with an RBI single. Wingate put runners on first and second with two outs, but could not score any additional runs.
 
For UNC Pembroke, senior third baseman Jamie Johnson had three hits. Three players had two hits each. Reep had three hits and two RBI for Wingate, while Sapp collected two hits. Wingate left 10 runners on base, while UNC Pembroke stranded 11 runners.
 
Freshman pitcher Breezy Yelton earned the victory for the UNCP Braves. In seven innings, Yelton scattered nine hits while allowing two runs (one earned). She walked three and did not strike out any WU batters. Weidner took the loss. She surrendered two runs (two earned) on 11 hits. Weidner struck out two and walked two.