Kodak, Tenn.----The fourth-seeded Wingate University Bulldogs used a five-run sixth inning to blow things open Friday night, rolling to a 10-2 victory over third-seeded Newberry College in the opener of the 2021 South Atlantic Conference baseball tournament. Wingate improves to 27-11 overall, while the Wolves fall to 22-14 on the season. The 'Dogs have now scored 70 runs in their last five games.

KEY STATS

- Wingate out-hit Newberry 11-5
- The Bulldogs had the lone extra-base hit and lone homer
- The Wolves left eight on base; the 'Dogs stranded seven
- Wingate committed the only three errors of the game
- WU pitching struck out 14 and walked two; Newberry had six strikeouts and six walks

KEY BULLDOGS

- Jed Bryant was three-for-five with a homer and three RBI to lead the Wingate offense
- Logan McNeely added a hit and three RBI for the Bulldogs
- Justin Guy had two hits, an RBI and two runs scored
- McCann Mellett added an RBI and two runs scored
- Michael Dansky contributed a hit, RBI and a run scored
- Carson Simpson also had a hit, RBI and run scored for the 'Dogs
- Gehrig Christopher, Cameron Carraway and Andrew McKay each collected a hit and run scored
- Hunter Dula piled up 10 strikeouts in seven strong innings
- Sam Broderson struck out all three batters he faced in the ninth
- Mitch Farris added a perfect inning in relief with a strikeout

SECOND INNING

- Bryant started the scoring by leading off the second with a towering solo shot to left
- Christopher followed with a single, then scored when Mellett drew a bases-loaded walk
- A Zane Tarrance RBI groundout and Dalton Landsdowne RBI single in the bottom of the frame tied it at two

FIFTH INNING

- The Bulldogs regained the lead in the top of the fifth
- Guy reached on a leadoff single, then went to second when Mellett drew a walk
- They both moved up on a Dansky sacrifice bunt
- McNeely's sacrifice fly plated Guy to put Wingate back on top
- Bryant followed with a two-out RBI single to plate Mellett and make it 4-2

SIXTH INNING

- The 'Dogs scored five times in the sixth to take a 9-2 lead
- A walk and McKay single started the inning
- Simpson's RBI single drove home the first run of the frame
- Guy followed with a perfect RBI bunt single to make it 6-2
- Dansky was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to push the lead to five
- McNeely followed with another sacrifice fly to plate Guy
- Bryant capped the scoring in the frame with an RBI single to put WU on top by seven

EIGHTH INNING

- Dansky lined a two-out single to right, then went to second on a wild pitch
- He scored on McNeely's RBI single to make the final margin 10-2

WRAPUP

- Dula got the win, moving to 6-1 on the year
- He allowed two runs on five hits in seven innings, striking out 10 and walking two
- Dula threw 125 pitches on the night, with his final three outs coming via strikeout
- The All-SAC selection has now won each of his last six starts
- He has at least 10 strikeouts in three of his last four outings
- In his last 33 innings, Dula has allowed just four earned runs while striking out 42
- Joe LaFiora took the loss, allowing four runs on four hits in five innings, striking out four and walking four

UP NEXT

- Wingate is back in action Saturday, facing Carson-Newman at 8:30 p.m. 
- The Bulldogs and Eagles met for a four-game series earlier this season
- Wingate won all four meetings at Ron Christopher Stadium