Wingate, N.C.----The Wingate University Bulldogs continued their impressive play down the final stretch of the regular season, securing a third-place finish in the SAC standings with an emphatic doubleheader sweep over Lincoln Memorial University in South Atlantic Conference softball action. Wingate won the opener 9-0 in five innings, while prevailing 7-1 in game two to move to 35-16 overall and 17-7 in the SAC. LMU falls to 34-17 overall and 15-9 in league play. The 'Dogs closed out the regular season by winning 11 of their last 12, outscoring opponents 93-30 during the stretch. Wingate wraps up the regular season with 66 homers; 16 more than any team in WU history.

GAME ONE | Wingate 9 LMU 0 (5 innings)

- Wingate out-hit LMU 10-3 in the opener
- The 'Dogs had four of the five extra-base hits and all three homers
- Lincoln Memorial left four on base; Wingate stranded three
- The Bulldogs had the only stolen base of the contest
- LMU committed the only error
- WU pitching struck out five without a walk; LMU had four strikeouts and two walks
- The 'Dogs scored in four of the five innings in game one, with multiple runs in three frames

KEY BULLDOGS

- Hannah Stevens was two-for-three with a double, homer and three RBI to lead the offense
- Sydney Kale went two-for-three with a homer, two RBI and two runs scored
- She also went the distance in the circle, allowing just three hits in five shutout innings
- Savanna Brooks added a homer, two RBI and two runs scored
- Sara Stroud contributed a hit, RBI, stolen base and two runs scored
- Heaven Maness added a hit and an RBI
- Hali Scott and Savannah Lampley each collected a hit and run scored for the 'Dogs

FIRST INNING

- Wingate scored three in the first and never looked back
- Stroud started it with a single, then stole second
- She scored on a Kale RBI single to get the 'Dogs on the board
- Brooks followed with a towering two-run shot to right center to make it 3-0
- Brooks wraps up her first collegiate regular season with 11 homers and 52 RBI

THIRD INNING

- Kale led off the third with a solo shot to left center to put WU on top by four
- Four homers and 20 RBI for Kale this season, who leads the 'Dogs with a .396 average

FOURTH INNING

- Lampley started things with a one-out double
- Stroud plated Lampley when she reached on an error
- A Maness RBI single put the 'Dogs on top 6-0

FIFTH INNING

- Wingate ended it with a three-run fifth
- A Scott single and Brooks walk started the frame
- Stevens ended game one with a three-run blast to left center to make it 9-0

WRAPUP

- Kale got the win, moving to 10-10 on the year
- She tossed five shutout innings, allowing three hits while striking out five and not walking a batter
- Kale has 125 strikeouts in 113 innings of work this season
- Emma Frost took the loss, falling to 18-7
- She allowed six runs on eight hits in four innings, striking out four and walking one

GAME TWO | Wingate 7 LMU 1

KEY STATS

- Wingate out-hit LMU 11-6 in game two
- The 'Dogs had five of the six extra-base hits; each team had a homer
- The Railsplitters committed the only two errors of the contest
- The Bulldogs had all three stolen bases
- Wingate left 10 on base; LMU stranded four
- WU pitching struck out five and walked two; LMU had three strikeouts and three walks

KEY BULLDOGS

- Lampley had a double, homer and four RBI to lead the offense
- Kale added three more hits, driving in a run and scoring a run
- Scott contributed a triple, RBI and run scored
- Brooks was two-for-three with a double and run scored
- Stroud collected a triple and scored twice
- Maness added a hit and an RBI
- Stevens scored a run in game two
- Raechel Cutcher went the distance, allowing just one run in seven innings of work

FIRST INNING

- Stroud drew a leadoff walk then stole her 29th base of the season
- She scored on a Kale RBI single to give WU a 1-0 lead

THIRD INNING

- The Bulldogs scored three times in the third to push the lead to four
- Kale started it with a single, then scored on Scott's RBI triple
- Lampley ripped a two-out double to right center to make it 4-0

FOURTH INNING

- LMU finally got on the board in the fourth on a Sierra Hucklebee solo homer

FIFTH INNING

- The 'Dogs answered with a three-run fifth inning
- An error started the frame
- Lampley made the Railsplitters pay with a two-run shot to right to make it 6-1
- Stroud added a two-out triple to right center
- She scored on a Maness RBI single to give Wingate a six-run advantage
- 40th RBI of the season for the reigning SAC Freshman of the Year  

WRAPUP

- Cutcher got the win, improving to 10-0 on the year
- She allowed a run on six hits in seven innings, striking out five and walking two
- Hayley Tamaro took the loss, allowing seven runs on 10 hits in 4 2/3 innings

UP NEXT

- Wingate is the number three seed in next week's SAC Tournament
- The Bulldogs will open SAC Tourney play Friday at 6:30 p.m. against Carson-Newman
- The winner advances to Saturday's semifinal contest at 1:30 p.m.
- The championship game is Saturday at 4:30 p.m.
- Every game of the SAC Tournament will take place at Lincoln Memorial University