Salisbury, N.C.----Wingate University senior outfielder Jessica VonCannon homered in each game Wednesday afternoon, while classmate Aubrey Reep turned in another dominant performance in the circle and at the plate as the Bulldogs opened league play with a doubleheader sweep at Catawba College in South Atlantic Conference softball action. Wingate won the opener 3-2, while prevailing 7-2 in the second game to improve to 11-7 overall and 2-0 in the SAC, winning 11 of its last 12 games. Catawba falls to 8-10 overall and 0-4 in league play.

THOUGHTS FROM JAMIE STANCLIFT

"Any time you can go earn a road sweep is fantastic, but opening up conference play that way is even better. I thought we made better adjustments at the plate in game two and played sound defense. Jess sparked our offense with a couple of big home runs and we are seeing the ball really well right now."

GAME ONE | Wingate 3 Catawba 2

KEY STATS

- Wingate out-hit Catawba 10-3 in game one
- Each team had one extra-base hit, both extra-base hits were homers
- The 'Dogs left eight on base; the Indians stranded two
- Catawba committed the lone error
- The Bulldogs had the only stolen base
- WU pitching struck out 12 and walked one; Catawba had five strikeouts and no walks

KEY BULLDOGS

- Reep went three-for-four with an RBI at the plate while striking out 12 in the complete game win
- Haley Cashwell was three-for-four with an RBI, run scored and stolen base
- VonCannon added a homer
- Rebekah Woods scored a run for the Bulldogs

FIRST INNING

- Cashwell reached on a one-out single, then stole second
- She scored on Reep's RBI single to put Wingate on top 1-0
- Jordan Dean's two-run homer in the bottom of the inning frame gave Catawba the 2-1 advantage

SECOND INNING

- VonCannon tied things up when she connected on her first homer of the season, a solo shot to left center
- Alyssa Hall and Emma Swenson followed with singles
- Cashwell's RBI single to left put the 'Dogs on top 3-2

WRAPUP

- Reep shut down the Indians over the final six innings, allowing just one hit the rest of the way
- The 2019 SAC Player of the Year struck out 12 and walked just one, moving to 6-2 on the year
- Brooke Walser took the loss, falling to 2-3, allowing three runs on eight hits in 4 1/3 innings

GAME TWO | Wingate 7 Catawba 2

KEY STATS

- The 'Dogs out-hit the Indians 12-7 in game two
- WU had four of the six extra-base hits and three of the five homers
- Catawba left 10 on base; the Bulldogs stranded eight
- The Bulldogs had all three stolen bases
- Catawba committed the lone error
- WU pitching struck out six and walked four; Catawba struck out three and walked three

KEY BULLDOGS

- VonCannon was three-for-four with a homer and two RBI
- Hogan went two-for-four with a homer and two RBI
- Reep also contributed a homer and two RBI for the Bulldogs
- Cashwell collected two hits including a triple, two stolen bases and a run scored
- Mary Claire Coyne went two-for-three with a run scored
- Gracyn Polk added a hit and run scored
- Raechel Cutcher went the distance, allowing just two runs

THIRD INNING

- Hogan led off the inning with her second homer of the year, a solo shot to give WU a 1-0 lead
- Dean's solo shot in the bottom of the frame tied it

FOURTH INNING

- Coyne drew a one-out walk in the fourth
- She scored on VonCannon's second blast of the day, a two-run shot to center to make it 3-1

FIFTH INNING

- Polk drew a leadoff walk, then went to second on a passed ball
- She stole third, then scored on an error on the play to put Wingate on top by three
- Cashwell followed with a single and stolen base
- She scored on Reep's two-run bomb to right center, her third of the year to make it 6-1

SEVENTH INNING

- Coyne led off the frame with a single, then moved to second on VonCannon's single
- Hogan's RBI single put the 'Dogs on top 7-1

WRAPUP

- Cutcher got the win, moving to 5-5 on the year
- The freshman allowed two runs on seven hits in seven innings, striking out six and walking four
- Madison Hunter took the loss, allowing six runs on six hits in 4 1/3 innings, striking out two and walking two

UP NEXT

- The 'Dogs are in the midst of a 12-game road trip, with six straight doubleheaders away from Wingate
- WU is at Francis Marion Saturday at 1 p.m., then at Mount Olive next Wednesday and Belmont Abbey Friday
- The Bulldogs return home Saturday, March 14, hosting a doubleheader against UVA-Wise