Wingate, N.C.----The Wingate University Bulldogs swept a doubleheader at Belmont Abbey College Tuesday afternoon in NCAA Division II softball action. Wingate won the opener 7-2, while scoring a run in the top of the seventh in game two to force extras en route to a 3-1 eight-inning victory to improve to 16-24 on the season. The Crusaders fall to 14-30 overall.
 
Game One: Wingate 7, Belmont Abbey 2
 
Freshman infielder Haley Cashwell (Autryville, N.C.) was three-for-five with a triple, two RBI and a run scored to lead the Wingate offense. Sophomore outfielder Rebekah Woods (Sylvania, Ga.) added an RBI and a run scored, while junior outfielder Naomi Sapp (Guyton, Ga.) collected two hits and an RBI. Senior infielder Mikayla Hannah (Lancaster, S.C.), sophomore Jordan Floyd (Wilmington, N.C.) and freshman Gracyn Polk (Concord, N.C.) each added a hit and an RBI for the Bulldogs.

Wingate jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the top of the first when sophomore pitcher Aubrey Reep (Eastover, N.C.) reached on a two-out single, stole a base, then scored on an RBI single from Hannah.

Reep led off the third with a single, while a walk and Taylor Wells (Chesterfield, Va.) single loaded the bases. Polk plated Reep with a sacrifice fly, while Floyd's RBI single made it 3-0.

A Wingate error and Peyton Wilson RBI single plated a pair of runs for the Crusaders in the bottom of the third to make it 3-2.

The Bulldogs scored four runs in the fifth to add to their lead. Woods plated the first run with an RBI single, while Cashwell's two-run triple gave Wingate a four-run lead. She scored on Sapp's RBI single to make it 7-2.

Reep got the win, moving to 12-9 on the year. She allowed two unearned runs on two hits in seven innings of work, striking out four and walking four. Annabeth Watkins took the loss, allowing seven runs on 11 hits in 4 2/3 innings.

Game Two: Wingate 3, Belmont Abbey 1 (8 innings)

Wells went two-for-four with a homer and two RBI to lead the Wingate offense in game two. Cashwell was one-for-three with an RBI, while sophomore outfielder Jessica VonCannon (Locust, N.C.) collected a hit and scored a run. Sapp added two more hits for the Bulldogs in game two.

After four scoreless innings, Belmont Abbey got on the board in the bottom of the fifth on a Vienna Benavides RBI single.

Wingate tied it with a run in the top of the seventh. VonCannon started the frame with a single to right, then moved to second on a sacrifice. Cashwell tied the game with a two-out RBI single, sending the game to extra innings.

With two outs and a runner on third in the top of the eighth, Wells blasted her fifth homer of the season, a two-run shot to left center to make it 3-1.

The Crusaders loaded the bases with no outs in the bottom of the frame, but Sapp came up with a big defensive play, making a catch in center field and throwing out a runner at home for a big double play. Reep induced a game-ending popout to end the game and notch the save.

Sophomore Amber Garrett (Appling, Ga.) got the win, allowing a run on 10 hits in seven innings of work to move to 1-0 on the year. Reep came in to work out of the bases-loaded jam in the eighth for her first save of the season. Ivorie Maltby took the loss, falling to 5-11. She allowed three runs on eight hits in eight innings, striking out two.

The Bulldogs are back in action Wednesday, traveling to Catawba for a 2 p.m. doubleheader.