Wingate, N.C.----The Wingate University Bulldogs scored 12 runs in the third inning of game two Wednesday afternoon, winning by a final score of 15-4 and forcing the doubleheader split against 23rd-ranked Lenoir-Rhyne University in South Atlantic Conference softball action. The Bears prevailed 1-0 in the opener. Wingate moves to 33-16 overall and 15-7 in the SAC, while Lenoir-Rhyne moves to 35-12 overall and 17-5 in league play.
 
GAME ONE | Lenoir-Rhyne 1, Wingate 0
 
KEY STATS
 
- Lenoir-Rhyne out-hit Wingate 4-1
- The Bears had the lone extra-base hit of the game
- L-R left three runners on the bases; the Bulldogs stranded six
- Both teams played a clean game in the field
- The Bears starter struck out 13 and walked three; Wingate's pitching struck out 11 and walked none
 
KEY BULLDOGS
 
- Sydney Kale went the distance, allowing one run and punching out 11 Bears without issuing a walk
- Laney McLaurin was one-for-two with a single and a walk
 
FIRST INNING
 
- Savannah Moorefield led off with an infield single that got lost in the sun
- Julia Mardigian hit a two-out double to score the game's lone run
 
WRAPUP
 
- LR's Lauren Rakes got the win, improving to 18-3 on the season
- She pitched a complete-game shutout, allowing just one hit and striking out 13
- Kale took the loss, dropping to 9-10 on the season
- She allowed one run on four hits in seven frames, striking out 13 and not walking any batters
 
GAME TWO | Wingate 15, Lenoir-Rhyne 4
 
KEY STATS
 
- Wingate out-hit Lenoir-Rhyne 13-5
- The Bulldogs hit four of the seven extra-base hits, while L-R claimed three of four home runs
- LR left four runners on the bases; the Bulldogs stranded five
- The Bears committed all three errors in the contest
- WU recorded each of the five stolen bases in game two
- The 'Dogs' staff struck out three and walked three; L-R struck out three and walked six
 
KEY BULLDOGS
 
- Kale went two-for-four at the plate with three RBI
- Hali Scott was two-for-two with two walks, a homer, two RBI and three runs scored
- Savanna Brooks drove in two more for the 'Dogs
- Heaven Maness logged two more hits, driving in another run and scoring three herself
- Ragan Liles had a two-for-three contest with a double and two runs scored
- Hannah Stevens and Savannah Lampley also registered RBI doubles and later scored
- McLaurin added one of Wingate's 12 RBI in the second game
 
FIRST INNING
 
- Maness singled and later stole second with one out in the first
- Scott blasted a two-run home run to left field to give the Bulldogs the early lead
 
THIRD INNING

- Wingate sent 17 batters to the plate in the third, scoring 12 runs
- Stroud and Maness got on base to lead off the inning
- Stroud, Maness and Scott scored with two outs on a throwing error by Lenoir-Rhyne
- Stevens started a string of six consecutive hits for Wingate, driving in Brooks with a double
- Lampley followed up with her own RBI double down the right field line, giving the 'Dogs a 7-0 lead
- Liles cashed in Lampley on a single to left field
- Maness' single to right center plated Liles from second
- Kale drove home two more to extend the lead to 11-0
- McLaurin scored Savanna Swickard from second, as Scott scored on a throwing error on the play
- Brooks kept the lineup moving with a two-run single, scoring Wingate's 11th and 12th runs of the frame, their most in an inning this season
 
FOURTH INNING
 
- Mardigian homered to left as the Bears got on the board in the fourth
- Rakes deposited a homer to left, scoring two more
- Lora Beth Wood hit the third home run of the inning for LR cutting the deficit to 14-4
- Kale added her second RBI base hit in the bottom half, plating Wingate's 15th run
 
WRAPUP
 
- Raechel Cutcher got the win, improving to 9-0 on the season
- She didn't allow a hit in her first three innings, finishing with three earned runs on two hits, striking out two and walking three in 3.1 innings
- Morgan Beeler took the loss for L-R
- She allowed eight runs, three of which were earned, on six hits, striking out three and walking four in four innings
- Kale finished the game for the Bulldogs in the circle, allowing a run on three hits and striking out one in the final 1 2/3 innings
 
UP NEXT
 
- The 'Dogs wrap up their regular season with Senior Day on Saturday, hosting LMU at 1 p.m.
- A Wingate sweep or a split would clinch a top-three seed for the Bulldogs in the SAC Tournament