Wingate, N.C. ---- The Wingate University Bulldogs swept the Mars Hill University Lions in Saturday's South Atlantic Conference softball doubleheader at the WU Softball Complex, taking game one by a final score of 8-3 and the second game 8-0. After the results, the 'Dogs stay at the top of the league standings at 39-10 with a 17-5 SAC mark, and MHU falls to 17-22 and 5-15 in the conference. Wingate is 23-1 at home this year.
 
GAME ONE | WINGATE 8, MARS HILL 3
 
KEY STATS
 
- Mars Hill out-hit Wingate 11-10 in the contest
- The Bulldogs had four of the five extra-base hits with a double, triple, and two home runs compared to the Lions' lone home run 
- Both squads left seven on base
- MHU committed the only two errors of the game
- Wingate had all four stolen bases
- WU pitching struck out five with zero walks; The Lions struck out six without a walk
 
KEY BULLDOGS
 
- Kaylee Hobgood paced the offense with a three hit performance, collecting a double and triple while adding two RBI and scoring once
- Hannah Reeves hit a homer in a two-for-four day, driving in two runs
- Raelynn Kramer also went deep, hitting a home run and scoring two runs 
- Jillian Thomas went six innings in a winning decision, allowing 10 hits and three earned runs while walking none and striking out four
 
FIRST INNING
 
- Ella Brooks singled in the opening frame, and came in to score on Jessica Senn's RBI single and give MHU a 1-0 lead
 
SECOND INNING


- WU got out of the gates quickly in the second, as Kramer reached on an error, Alyssa Hall singled on a bunt, and Ragan Liles singled to left to load the bases
- Danielle Kirchhofer put the 'Dogs on the board with a sacrifice fly, bringing home Kramer and tying the game at one
- Hobgood plated Hall with a single to right, and Liles later stole home to give Wingate a 3-1 lead after the inning
 
FOURTH INNING


- Farley Park cut into the Wingate advantage with a lead-off solo homer, making it 3-2
 
SIXTH INNING


- MHU tied the game at three after a Kristyn Ezzo RBI single scored Park in the top half of the sixth
- After Kirchhofer singled to left to start the home half of the frame, Hobgood tripled to right center to put the 'Dogs on top 4-3
- Hobgood scored on a double-steal tandem with Heaven Maness taking second base
- Reeves and Kramer followed by connecting on back-to-back homers; Reeves hitting a two-run shot to center field and Kramer leaving the yard to right field
 
WRAPUP


- Thomas got the winning decision with her start, going six innings while allowing 10 hits and three runs, striking out four
- She moves to 9-1 in her freshman campaign
- Alyssa Poston took the loss for Mars Hill, falling to 6-7 after going the distance, allowing 10 hits, eight earned runs, and striking out six Wingate hitters
 
GAME TWO | WINGATE 8 MARS HILL 0 (6 Innings)
 
KEY STATS
 
- Wingate out-hit Mars Hill 10-2 in the game
- The 'Dogs had the only two extra-base hits in the game with a double and home run 
- WU left six on base; Mars Hill stranded three
- Wingate had all four stolen bases
- WU pitching struck out six with no walks; MHUG struck out two with one walk
 
KEY BULLDOGS
 
- Savanna Brooks had a homer, two RBI and two runs scored
- Kramer went two-for-three in the contest
- Kirchhofer collected three hits with a triple and two runs scored
- Maness scored two runs and drove in two more in a one-for-three game at the plate
- Reeves also contributed two RBI in a one-for-three performance
- Raechel Cutcher earned the win with a complete game shutout, striking out six without a walk
 
THIRD INNING


- WU opened the frame with three straight hits off the bats of Kirchhofer, Hall and Hobgood to load the bases
- Brooks brought home the first run on a sacrifice fly to center, scoring Kirchhofer to make it 1-0
- Two batters later, Reeves plated a pair with an RBI single to right field to score Hobgood and Hall and push the lead to 3-0
- Hali Scott finished the scoring with another sacrifice fly, allowing Maness to score and give the 'Dogs a 4-0 lead
 
FOURTH INNING

- Kirchhhofer led off the frame with a bang by tripling to right center, as Brooks followed her on base after getting hit by a pitch
- Maness brought home both with a single to right field, pushing Wingate's lead to six
- Mars Hill committed a throwing error, allowing Maness to score and make the score 7-0
 
SIXTH INNING


- Brooks finished the game with a lead-off solo home run to left field, giving the 'Dogs an 8-0 win
 
WRAPUP


- Cutcher took the win, improving to 11-5 on the season
- She tossed a complete game shutout with six strikeouts and no walks
- Rebekah Howard took the loss after 3 2/3 innings, allowing eight hits, seven runs, five earned runs, no walks and a strikeout
 
UP NEXT


- Wingate finishes the regular season with a high-stakes road double header
- The 'Dogs travel to Lincoln Memorial for a potential first-against-second place series that could decide the regular season championship on Saturday for a 12 P.M. first pitch
- The Bulldogs clinch at least a share of the SAC title with one win
- A sweep would guarantee an outright regular season championship