Aiken, S.C.----The Wingate University Bulldogs swept a doubleheader at USC Aiken Thursday afternoon in NCAA Division II softball action. Wingate won the opener 7-0, while taking game two 3-1 to improve to 9-15 overall. The Pacers fall to 7-15 on the season.
Game One: Wingate 7, USC Aiken 0
Sophomore outfielder
Jessica VonCannon (Locust, N.C.) went two-for-four with a double, two RBI and a run scored to lead the Wingate offense, while classmate
Emma Swenson (Matthews, N.C.) added a hit, two RBI and a run scored. Junior outfielder
Naomi Sapp (Guyton, Ga.) was one-for-three with an RBI and a run scored, while junior catcher
Taylor Wells (Chesterfield, Va.) added a double and an RBI for the Bulldogs.
After two scoreless innings, Wingate exploded for six runs in the third. A pair of errors to start the frame put runners on second and third, with RBI singles from Sapp and VonCannon starting the scoring. Swenson followed with a two-run single to right center, with an error on the play allowing a third run to score. Wells capped the scoring in the inning with an RBI double to left center, making it 6-0.
Freshman pitcher
Sam Hogan (Albemarle, N.C.) reached on a one-out single in the fourth, moved to second on a sacrifice, then scored on VonCannon's RBI double to center to put the 'Dogs on top by seven.
That was plenty for sophomore right-hander
Aubrey Reep (Eastover, N.C.), who went the distance to move to 7-6 on the year. She tossed a two-hit shutout, striking out four while allowing just two singles and a pair of walks.
Lyndie Dorgan took the loss, falling to 2-6. She allowed seven runs on six hits in four innings, striking out three and walking one.
Game Two: Wingate 3, USC Aiken 1
Sapp, Wells and senior
Mikayla Hannah (Lancaster, S.C.) each drove in a run to lead the Wingate offense in game two. Reep was two-for-three with a triple and a run scored, while Swenson also scored a run for the Bulldogs.
Hannah drew a leadoff walk in the third, with pinch-runner
Meagan Martucci (Huntersville, N.C.) moving to second on a sacrifice then scoring on a Sapp RBI single.
USC Aiken tied it in the bottom of the frame, but Hannah's RBI single in the fourth put the Bulldogs back on top 2-1. The Bulldogs added an insurance run in the sixth, with Reep ripping a one-out triple down the right field line, then scoring on an RBI single from Wells to make it 3-1.
Junior right-hander
Rachel Weidner (Greenville, N.C.) got the win, moving to 1-3 on the year. She allowed a run on six hits in seven innings, striking out five without walking a batter.
Hannah Price took the loss, allowing three runs on five hits in seven innings, falling to 2-2.
Wingate is back in action next Wednesday, traveling to Francis Marion for a doubleheader at 4 p.m.