Greeneville, Tenn.----The ninth-ranked Wingate University Bulldogs scored four runs in the top of the ninth inning Sunday afternoon, prevailing 15-11 at Tusculum College in South Atlantic Conference baseball action to wrap up the three-game series. Wingate improves to 15-4 overall and 4-2 in the SAC, while the Pioneers fall to 10-8 overall and 4-2 in league play.
Junior outfielder
Tanner Forry (York, Pa.) had a triple, homer, four RBI and three runs scored to lead the Wingate offense. Sophomore infielder
McCann Mellett (Charlotte, N.C.) was four-for-six with three RBI and three runs scored, while junior infielder
Zach Little (Troutman, N.C.) went three-for-six with two RBI and a run scored. Senior outfielder
Ty Andrus (Winston-Salem, N.C.) added three hits, an RBI and two runs scored, while classmate
Bradley Brown (Rockingham, N.C.) contributed two hits, an RBI and a run scored. Senior infielder
Brett Branton (Athens, Ga.) was three-for-six with an RBI and three runs scored for the Bulldogs.
Daulton Martin and
Nate Montgomery each drove in three runs to lead the Tusculum attack, with
Edison Cabrera,
Jake Wapinsky and
Trey Hinton each adding an RBI and run scored for the Pioneers.
Bradley Evans also drove in a run on the afternoon.
Wingate jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the second inning, getting consecutive RBI singles from Branton, Andrus and Mellett. Andrus ripped a one-out double in the fourth, then scored on another Mellett RBI single to make it 4-0, but Montgomery's RBI double in the bottom of the frame got the Pioneers within three.
Tusculum scored seven runs on three hits in the fifth to take the lead, taking advantage of two Wingate errors. Two bases-loaded walks and a Bulldog error tied it, while Montgomery's two-run single put the Pioneers on top. Another error and bases-loaded walk put TC on top 8-4.
The Bulldogs answered with four runs in the sixth to tie it. Branton got it started with a one-out triple, then scored on an error to get the 'Dogs within three. Forry provided the big blow of the frame, connecting on his seventh homer of the season, a three-run shot to left to make it 8-8.
Little put the Bulldogs back on top in the seventh with an RBI double, while Brown's RBI single in the eighth made it 10-8. A Tusculum error allowed another run to score, giving the 'Dogs a three-run lead.
The Pioneers scored three times in the bottom of the eighth to tie it. Martin's two-run double made it a one-run game, while Cabrera's RBI single made it 11-11 heading to the ninth.
Branton led off the ninth with a double, then scored the go-ahead run on Mellett's bunt single. Forry followed with an RBI triple, plating Mellett to make it 13-11, while a hit batsman and Little RBI single gave Wingate a four-run advantage. Junior right-hander
Lane Wildman (Virginia Beach, Va.) retired the Pioneers in order in the ninth to finish off the win.
Wildman improves to 2-1 on the year. He tossed 1 2/3 shutout innings, striking out one and walking one while allowing one hit.
Mitch McCain took the loss, falling to 2-1. He allowed two runs on three hits in two-thirds of an inning, striking out one. Wingate pitchers walked nine and hit a batter, while Tusculum committed four errors in addition to walking three and hitting four batters.
Wingate continues its tough five-game road trip Tuesday, traveling to Erskine for a 2 p.m. start. The Bulldogs travel to Belmont Abbey Wednesday to face the third-ranked Crusaders at 5 p.m.
