Wingate, N.C.—-For the second straight day, the second-ranked Wingate University Bulldogs took care of business at home, with Wednesday's matchup with Lander University resulting in a 7-5 victory for the Bulldogs in NCAA Division II baseball action at Ron Christopher Stadium. The Bulldogs avenge their loss to the Bearcats on March 1, improving to 19-2 on the season. Lander drops to 9-9 in 2022. Wingate moves to 15-0 at home this year.
 
KEY STATS
 
- Lander out-hit Wingate 6-5
- The Bulldogs had three of the four extra-base hits in the contest including the lone homer
- WU pitching left 10 Lander runners on the base paths; the 'Dogs stranded just three runners
- Each team committed an error
- Wingate had three of the four stolen bases on the night
- The Bearcat pitchers struck out 14, and walked three; the Bulldogs hurlers struck out 13 and walked eight
 
KEY BULLDOGS
 
- Brett Adams went two-for-four with a double and a two-run homer run, tallying a game-high four RBI and stole a base
- Jed Bryant smacked a key two-RBI double to the gap in right-center field
- Andrew Motsinger extended his hitting streak to 16 games, stole a base and scored two runs
- Michael Dansky was one-for-three with a walk and two runs scored
- Austin Johnson and Corey Avant combined for three strikeouts in two shutout innings in relief
- Sam Brodersen struck out three in the ninth to earn the save
 
NOTES
 
- One of the Bulldogs' two losses this season was back on March 1 at Lander
- Adams' four RBI is a new career-best
- The 'Dogs improve to 19-2 on the season; the team was 14-7 through 21 games a season ago
- WU has won 24 of its last 26 and 31 of 34 dating back to 2021 postseason play
- Wingate entered Wednesday night's game leading the nation in base-on-balls drawn
- WU ranks second nationally in doubles (51)
- Lander's Connor Droze was two-for-four with two doubles and four RBI
 
FIRST INNING
 
- Lander's first two batters reached safely to start the game
- A Wingate throwing error brought in the first run of the game for the Bearcats
- Bryant reached on a throwing error with two outs in the bottom half
- Adams cranked a homer down the right field line to give the Bulldogs a 2-1 lead after one
 
FIFTH INNING
 
- Droze hit a two-run double to the gap in right center before being caught in a rundown trying to stretch it to third on the play
 
SIXTH INNING
 
- Motsinger and Dansky both reached safely with one out in the sixth inning
- Bryant's double to right center scored both runners, giving the hosts a 4-3 lead
 
SEVENTH INNING
 
- The Bearcats loaded the bases with no outs to kick off the seventh inning
- Droze drove in the tying runner at third on a sac fly to center
- Johnson limited the damage through the rest of the inning, stranding three Lander runners
 
EIGHTH INNING
 
- Motsinger singled and stole second with one out as the go-ahead runner
- Dansky singled to left, but Motsinger was forced to hold up at third base
- Each runner advanced 90 feet on a wild pitch from newcomer on the mound Kurt Rogers
- Adams doubled to right center to score Dasnky and Bryant, giving Wingate some key insurance runs
 
NINTH INNING
 
- After a leadoff walk, Droze hit his second double of the day down the left field line to score the pinch runner, cutting the Wingate lead to 7-5
- Brodersen struck out the next two batters to close the door
 
WRAPUP
 
- Corey Avant earned the win, improving to 1-0 on the season
- His struck out two in a 1-2-3 eighth inning
- Anson Merrick took the loss for the Bearcats, dropping to 2-2 on the season
- He allowed three earned runs in 2-plus innings on three hits and was responsible for the Motsinger, who scored on Rogers' wild pitch
- Bordersen gave up one run on a hit and a walk, but struck out three in the ninth, earning the save
 
UP NEXT
 
- Wingate hits the road for a weekend set with Lincoln Memorial in a return to SAC play
- Due to forecasted weather, the series has shifted to a doubleheader Sunday, single game Monday
- The Bulldogs return to Ron Christopher Stadium next Tuesday, hosting Erskine at 6 p.m.