Wingate, N.C.----The 16th-ranked Wingate University Bulldogs won their fourth straight game Tuesday afternoon, downing visiting Francis Marion University 8-5 in NCAA Division II baseball action at Ron Christopher Stadium and Plyler Athletic Field. Wingate improves to 14-2 overall, while the Patriots fall to 7-10 on the season.
Senior designated hitter
Bradley Brown (Rockingham, N.C.) had a homer and three RBI to lead the Wingate offense. Junior outfielder
Tanner Forry (York, Pa.) added a double, three RBI and a run scored, while junior infielder
Tyler Schneider (Richland, Ind.) was three-for-four with two runs scored. Senior outfielder
Ty Andrus (Winston-Salem, N.C.) collected three hits, a stolen base and two runs scored, while junior infielder
Zach Little (Troutman, N.C.) added an RBI for the Bulldogs.
Wingate jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the first, with Andrus and Schneider collecting hits to go along with a walk to load the bases. Forry plated the first run of the game with a sacrifice fly. Brown followed with the big blow, a three-run homer to right to make it 4-0. The senior has three homers in his last two games and a league-best seven long balls on the year.
Francis Marion got on the board in the fifth, with a two-run double from
Henry Davis capping a three-run frame, making it 4-3.
Wingate answered with two runs in the bottom of the frame, with Schneider scoring the first run on a wild pitch. Forry scored on Little's sacrifice fly to put the 'Dogs on top by three.
The Bulldogs scored two more runs in the sixth, getting a
Justin Guy (Greensboro, N.C.) double and Andrus single to start the frame. Forry drove both home with a two-run double to left to make it 8-3.
A
Brody Thomasson sacrifice fly and Wingate error plated a pair of runs for FMU in the top of the seventh, making the final margin 8-5.
Junior right-hander
Nick Stegman (Frederick, Md.) got the win, moving to 2-1. He allowed three earned runs on four hits in 6 1/3 innings, striking out five and walking two. Junior right-hander
Lane Wildman (Virginia Beach, Va.) got the final out to notch his second save of the year, while sophomore right-hander
Josh Karklin (Waxhaw, N.C.) worked 1 2/3 shutout innings without allowing a hit.
Austin Roseberry took the loss, allowing four runs on four hits in two-thirds of an inning, striking out one and walking one to fall to 1-1 on the year.
Wingate is back in action Friday, opening a three-game series at Tusculum at 6 p.m.
