Hickory, N.C.----The seventh-seeded Wingate University Bulldogs staved off elimination twice Friday afternoon, eliminating sixth-seeded Carson-Newman and second-seeded Lenoir-Rhyne to advance to the final day of regional play. Wingate opened the day by knocking out Carson-Newman with a 3-1 victory. The 'Dogs wrapped things up with a 6-5 win over #25 Lenoir-Rhyne to eliminate the Bears. Wingate and North Georgia are the final two teams remaining in this half of the regional, meeting Saturday in Hickory. The 'Dogs will need to beat the Nighthawks twice to advance to the super regionals. Wingate improves to 37-18 overall.

THOUGHTS FROM JAMIE STANCLIFT

"The team showed so much grit and belief in one another to get it done with our backs against the wall, not once, but TWICE! They just keep impressing me more and more and making me really proud. It is fun to just be able to stay out of their way and watch them have fun and put everything together that we've learned over the course of the season. Today was a really fun day to be a Bulldog and this team is extremely special. I am a proud coach."

GAME ONE | Wingate 3 Carson-Newman 1

KEY STATS

- Wingate out-hit Carson-Newman 9-6
- The Eagles had three of the four extra-base hits
- The 'Dogs left six on base while CN stranded five
- Carson-Newman had the only error of the contest
- WU pitching struck out six without a walk; CN had four strikeouts and two walks

KEY BULLDOGS

- Laney McLaurin had a hit and drove in a pair of runs
- Ragan Liles added a hit and two runs scored
- Sydney Kale wen two-for-two and walked, reaching base all three times
- Heaven Maness added a hit and scored a run
- Savannah Lampley collected a pair of hits for the Bulldogs
- Raechel Cutcher went the distance, allowing just one run on six hits while striking out six

SECOND INNING

- CN started the frame with a single and a double to put runners on second and third with no outs
- A Carmen Holt sacrifice fly got the Eagles on the board
- Cutcher got a strikeout to get out of the inning without any further damage

THIRD INNING

- Liles started the frame with a single, then moved to second on a Maness sacrifice
- She scored the tying run on a Carson-Newman error to make it 1-1

FIFTH INNING

- Liles was hit by a pitch to start the inning, while Maness followed with a single
- Kale drew a walk to load the bases with one out
- McLaurin ripped a two-run single to right to put the 'Dogs on top
- Cutcher retired the side in order in the sixth
- She worked around a leadoff double in the seventh, getting a strikeout, flyout and groundout to end it

WRAPUP

- Cutcher got the win to move to 11-0 on the year
- She threw 106 pitches in game one while allowing just the one run, striking out six without a walk
- Syerra Rogers took the loss, allowing three runs on six hits in 4 1/3 innings of work

GAME TWO | Wingate 6 Lenoir-Rhyne 5

KEY STATS

- Lenoir-Rhyne out-hit Wingate 9-7
- The Bears had all four extra-base hits and the lone homer
- Each team committed two errors
- LR left eight on base; the Bulldogs stranded five
- WU pitching struck out six and walked three; LR had three strikeouts and a walk

KEY BULLDOGS

- Sara Stroud went three-for-four with two RBI and a run scored
- McLaurin drove in two more runs
- Liles collected two more hits and scored two more runs
- Maness added a hit and a run scored
- Savanna Brooks and Hannah Reeves each scored a run for the 'Dogs
- Cutcher went five more innings to earn her second win of the day
- Kale worked the final two frames for the save

FIRST INNING

- Stroud got things started with a one-out bunt single
- She moved to third on Kale's single, then scored on McLaurin's squeeze bunt to make it 1-0
- An RBI double from Julia Mardigian in the bottom of the frame tied it at one

SECOND INNING

- A walk, error and Liles single loaded the bases with one out for the Bulldogs
- Stroud plated the first run of the frame with an RBI single
- Kale then reached on an error, allowing two more runs to score and making it 4-1

FIFTH INNING

- An RBI single from Hannah Jennings pulled the Bears within two runs

SIXTH INNING

- A double and single started the LR sixth
- A Wingate error allowed a run to score to make it a one-run game
- Kale got a strikeout and groundout to strand a pair of runners and keep the 'Dogs on top

SEVENTH INNING

- Wingate scored a pair of huge insurance runs in the top of the seventh
- One-out singles from Liles and Maness put two on with one out for the 'Dogs
- Stroud lined an RBI single to right to make it a two-run game
- McLaurin's sacrifice fly plated Maness to make it 6-3
- Lauren Rakes connected on a two-run homer in the bottom of the frame to make it 6-5
- Kale got the next batter to pop out to end the game

WRAPUP

- Cutcher got the win to move to 12-0 on the year
- She allowed two earned runs on five hits in five innings, striking out four and walking three
- Kale notched her third save of the year, allowing two runs in two innings while striking out two
- Morgan Beeler took the loss, allowing six runs on seven hits in 6 1/3 innings, striking out three

UP NEXT

- Wingate and North Georgia meet tomorrow for the right to advance to the super regionals
- The first game is slated to start at 1 p.m. in Hickory
- If Wingate wins game that game, the teams will meet for one final game at 3:30 p.m.