Wingate, N.C.----Wingate University outfielder Ricky Clark homered in each game of the Saturday doubleheader sweep, while catcher Kell Smith added a homer and five RBI, as the top-ranked Bulldogs defeated Kutztown 17-1 in game one before winning 9-4 in the finale. Wingate improves to a program-best 11-0 start to the 2022 season, while Kutztown falls to 2-5.
 
GAME ONE | Wingate 17, Kutztown 1
 
KEY STATS
 
- Wingate out-hit Kutztown 14-4
- The Bulldogs had all six extra-base hits including the two homers
- WU had the only three stolen bases
- The 'Dogs committed two errors; the Golden Bears had four
- KU left eight runners on the paths; Wingate stranded 11
- Bulldog pitching struck out seven, walked three and hit one; Kutztown's staff struck out 13, walked eight and hit five
 
KEY BULLDOGS
 
- Smith was two-for-four with a homer and five RBI
- Clark added a two-run homerun in the seventh
- Justin Guy added a two-run double with two runs scored
- Andrew McKay had a game-high three hits, stole a base and drove in a run
- Andrew Motsinger was two-for-two with two walks, three runs scored, two steals and an RBI
- Michael Dansky added two hits, an RBI and a run scored
- Jed Bryant and Mitch Farris also had a hit and drove in a run
- Austin Mitchell allowed three hits in six innings of work with no earned runs
- Chris Macca and Luis Fuentes combined to strike out four in 2 2/3 shutout innings in relief
 
FIRST INNING
 
- After the first two batters reached base, Bryant singled up the middle, scoring Motsinger
- McKay later singled to left-center, plating Dansky and putting the 'Dogs up 2-0 early
 
FOURTH INNING
 
- KU's Jimmy Kerley singled through the left side, scoring Gavin Moretski
- Smith drilled his first-career homer, a three-run shot, giving Wingate a 5-1 lead
 
SIXTH INNING
 
- The Bulldogs exploded for eight runs in the sixth inning
- Clark took a pitch with the bases loaded to start off the scoring
- Farris reached on an error in a play the run would have scored anyway
- Isaiah Williams-Rhem reached base and scored a run in the exact same way just two batters later
- Guy followed with a ripped double down the left field line, scoring Clark and Farris
- Smith's sacrifice fly scored Williams-Rhem
- In his second at-bat of the inning, Motsinger ripped an RBI single through the left side
- Dansky capped the scoring in the sixth with an RBI double, giving the 'Dogs a 13-1 lead
 
SEVENTH INNING
 
- Clark smacked a homer down the right field line to start the scoring in the seventh inning
- Smith drove in his fifth run of the game with a single to center field
- Seaver King scored on a fielding error
- Cameron Carraway drew a bases-loaded walk, scoring Smith
 
WRAPUP
 
- Mitchell moved to 3-0 in as many starts on Saturday
- He tossed six innings with one unearned run, allowing just three hits, striking out three and walking one
- The right hander has gone six innings in each of his starts this season
- His ERA now sits at 2.00 in 2022
- Dominic Proietto takes the loss, dropping to 1-1
- He allowed five earned runs on six hits, walking five with seven strikeouts
 
GAME TWO | Wingate 9, Kutztown 4
 
KEY STATS
 
- Wingate out-hit Kutztown 11-5
- The Bulldogs had four of the five extra-base hits and the lone homer
- WU left eight runners on base; the Golden Bears stranded nine
- The 'Dogs committed the only two errors of the game
- Each team stole a base
- Wingate pitching struck out 11, walked six and hit one; KU's staff struck out seven and walked six
 
KEY BULLDOGS
 
- Motsinger went three-for-four with a triple and 3 RBI
- Clark mashed his second home run of the day
- McKay's hit drove in a run
- Williams-Rhem went two-for-three with a walk, a stolen base and two runs scored
- Guy had two hits including a double and scored a run
- Josh Dotson pitched 4 1/3 innings, allowing one earned run
- Austin Johnson closed out the fifth with two strikeouts
- Sam Brodersen struck out three in a shutout ninth
 
FIRST INNING
 
- Kutztown took its first lead of the series with an RBI double in the top of the first
- Wingate responded with an RBI double from Dansky, who later scored on a wild pitch
- McKay's single up the middle later in the inning scored Grayson Chapman, giving the 'Dogs a 3-1 lead after the first
 
THIRD INNING
 
- Clark's solo homer was nearly identical to the one in the first game
- Motsinger found a hole with the bases loaded, scoring Chapman once again
 
FOURTH INNING
 
- KU's Cole Reign scored from second on a pair of Wingate errors
 
FIFTH INNING
 
- Motsinger notched his second RBI single of the game, this time scoring two
- Smith later scored on a wild pitch, giving WU a 9-2 lead
 
SIXTH INNING
 
- Kutztown's Brandon Herre scored on an infield single
- Mike Piscotty scored on a swinging strike three in the dirt, cutting the lead to five runs
 
WRAPUP
 
- Dotson got his second win of the season
- He struck out three, allowing three hits in 4 1/3 innings
- Johnson and Brodersen combined for five strikeouts in 1 2/3 innings of shutout relief
 
UP NEXT
 
- The Bulldogs hit the road mid-week, facing Erskine on Tuesday at 2 p.m.
- The 'Dogs are at Carson-Newman to open league play this weekend
- Wingate returns to Ron Christopher Stadium on Friday, March 4, opening up the home conference slate with a three-game set vs Anderson