Wingate, N.C.----The second-ranked Wingate University Bulldogs scored five runs in the first inning in Friday night en route to a 10-5 victory over 17th-ranked Newberry College Wolves in South Atlantic Conference baseball action at Ron Christopher Stadium. Wingate improves to 32-4 and 14-1 in the SAC, while Newberry drops to 30-8 and 12-4 in league play. The 'Dogs are now 20-0 at home this season and 35-3 the last two years at Ron Christopher Stadium. Wingate has also outscored opponents 68-17 in the first inning this season.
 
KEY STATS
 
- Wingate out-hit Newberry 11-8
- Each team had two extra-base hits, but Wingate hit the only home run of the night
- The Wolves left nine runners on the bases; the Bulldogs stranded 13
- Newberry committed all three errors of the night
- The 'Dogs recorded both stolen bases in the contest
- WU pitching struck out 13 and walked eight; Newberry's hurlers struck out seven and walked seven
 
KEY BULLDOGS
 
- Mitch Farris went two-for-five with a homer, two RBI and two runs scored
- Justin Guy logged a team-high three hits including a double and a run driven in
- Isaiah Williams-Rhem had a pair of RBI on two hits and scored a run
- Logan McNeely was one of four Bulldogs with a multi-hit game, scoring a run and driving in another
- Jed Bryant walked three times and scored twice
- Andrew McKay and Cameron Carraway each registered a hit and an RBI
- Brody McCullough struck out six in five innings, earning the win
- Jordan Howard and Corey Avant combined to strike out three in a scoreless final 1.2 innings in relief
- Sam Brodersen added four strikeouts in 2 1/3 innings of work
 
FIRST INNING
 
- The first three Wolves reached base safely in the top of the first
- Beau Thompson drove in Newberry's only run of the frame on a groundout
- Andrew Motsinger got hit by a pitch to start the bottom of the inning, then advanced to third on a failed pickoff attempt
- McNeely drove him in two batters later on a single to right center
- Michael Dansky, who reached third on the McNeely RBI single, scored on a wild pitch
- Farris' first RBI base hit of the night drove in McNeely as the 'Dogs took a 3-1 lead
- Carraway's RBI groundout scored Bryant
- Williams-Rhem plated Farris as the eighth batter of the inning
 
THIRD INNING
 
- Henry Gibson's one-out triple put the Wolves in a scoring opportunity in the third
- Thompson drove in Gibson in the next at-bat on a sacrifice fly
- Farris answered in the bottom half, launching a leadoff solo blast to right center
 
FOURTH INNING
 
- Newberry came right back in the fourth, scoring two on a single by Zane Terrance, cutting their deficit to 6-4
 
FIFTH INNING
 
- Carraway walked to lead off the fifth before advancing to third on two wild pitches
- McKay drove in Carraway on an RBI single to left field
 
SIXTH INNING
 
- The 'Dogs struck for three more runs in the sixth
- A two-out throwing error scored Bryant from second base
- McKay, who reached third base on the fielding miscue, scored the next at-bat via a Williams-Rhem single
- Williams-Rhem stole second and later scored on Guy's third hit of the night, as Wingate took a commanding 10-4 lead
 
EIGHTH INNING
 
- With the bases loaded and two down, Jonathan Velez singled through the left side as the Wolves attempted a late-game comeback
 
WRAPUP
 
- McCullough got the win, improving to 7-1 on the year
- He allowed four runs on six hits in five innings of work, striking out six and walking five
- Joe LaForia got the loss for Newberry, allowing six runs on five hits in three innings, striking out four and walking two
- Brodersen gave the Bulldogs 2 1/3 innings of relief, allowing one run on no hits, striking out four and walking three
- Newberry scored just one run when Howard entered into the eighth with one out and the bases loaded
- Avant navigated through a scoreless ninth to earn the 'Dogs' 32nd win of the year
 
UP NEXT
 
- The Bulldogs and Wolves complete their three-game set with a doubleheader Saturday
- First pitch for game one at Ron Christopher Stadium is scheduled for 1 p.m.