Box Score Wingate, N.C.----The second-ranked Wingate University baseball team spotted visiting Erskine College an 8-0 advantage, then put together a gigantic rally on the way to a 14-9 NCAA Division II victory Wednesday night at Ron Christopher Stadium and Plyler Athletic Field. Brett Adams had four hits, while three players collected three RBI each.
 
The Bulldogs scored the last 13 runs of the contest, turning a 9-1 deficit into a resounding 14-9 triumph. The defending national champions improve to 35-5 overall, avenging a February setback to the Flying Fleet. Erskine is 22-19 on the season.
 
KEY STATS

- Wingate held a slim 18-17 advantage in hits
- The Bulldogs had five extra base hits, compared to three for the Flying Fleet
- Both teams stranded 10 baserunners on the evening
- Erskine committed two of the three errors on the night
- Wingate had two stolen bases, compared to one theft for Erskine
- WU pitching struck out five and walked two; EC hurlers struck out four and walked five

KEY BULLDOGS

- Adams was four-for-five with a double, one RBI and three runs scored.
- Grayson Chapman, Seaver King and Isaiah Williams-Rhem had three RBI each
- Chapman had a three-run home run in the seventh inning, giving the 'Dogs a cushion
- King had three hits and two runs scored, while Williams-Rhem added a double
- Reigning Regional POTW Mitch Farris had an RBI triple and a team-best four runs scored
- Justin Guy joined Adams and Williams-Rhem by stroking a double
- Four Wingate pitchers twirled six innings of shutout ball

FIRST INNING

- Cal Bocchino had a two-RBI double as the visitors claimed a 4-0 advantage
- Kane Fisher added a two-RBI single for Erskine

SECOND INNING

- The Flying Fleet scored four runs on four hits for the second consecutive inning
- Tariq Bacon had the big hit, a two-run homer to put EC up by eight runs
- Wingate got one run back on an RBI fielder's choice by King
 
THIRD INNING
 
- Erskine nudged its lead to 9-1, thanks to an RBI sacrifice fly by Armando Becerra
- Becerra's flyout scored Kane Fisher, who had singled earlier in the inning

FOURTH INNING
 
- Wingate scored five runs on four hits and two Erskine errors to cut the deficit to 9-6
- Williams-Rhem had the big blow with a bases-clearing, three-RBI double
 
FIFTH INNING
 
- The Bulldogs tallied two runs on three hits to pull within one run at 9-8
- Guy took care of business, plating both runs with a two-RBI double
 
SIXTH INNING
 
- Wingate claimed the lead for good with two runs on four hits
- Farris had his triple, scoring Logan McNeely to tie the game at 9-9
- King plated the game-winning run with a single to score Farris
 
SEVENTH INNING

- The hosts scored four runs on four hits to put the game out of reach
- Chapman's round-tripper plated three Bulldog runs
- King's RBI single concluded the scoring, plating Adams who had doubled
 
WRAPUP

- Jordan Howard picked up the victory, boosting his record to 3-0 overall
- In 2/3 innings, Howard allowed one hit while striking out one
- Sean Barnett and Corey Avant sealed the deal with one inning of scoreless relief each
- Logan Spivey took the loss for Erskine
- Spivey allowed two runs on two hits in 1/3 of an inning; he walked one batter
- The Flying Fleet utilized eight pitchers Wednesday 
 
UP NEXT

- The Bulldogs travel to Tusculum this weekend for a three-game series starting Friday at 6 p.m.
- Wingate returns home to face Mars Hill for a three-game series April 22-23
- The Bulldogs and the Lions begin the series Friday, April 22 at 6 p.m.