Wingate, N.C.----The 17th-ranked Wingate University Bulldogs picked up a pair of key league victories Sunday afternoon, sweeping a doubleheader against Carson-Newman University in South Atlantic Conference softball action. Wingate won the opener 12-4, while prevailing 9-6 in game two to improve to 33-8 overall and 13-3 in the SAC, while the Eagles fall to 25-9 overall and 10-6 in league play. The Bulldogs are now 18-0 at home this season, outscoring opponents 188-31. Wingate has blasted 34 homers in the 18 home contests, while hitting .422 as a team. Wingate now has a two-game lead in the second standings over second-place Lenoir-Rhyne and LMU at 11-5.

GAME ONE | #17 WINGATE 12 CARSON-NEWMAN 4 (5 innings)

KEY STATS

- Wingate out-hit Carson-Newman 12-6
- The 'Dogs had four of the six extra-base hits and two of the three homers
- The Bulldogs had all four stolen bases
- Each team left four on base
- The Eagles committed three of the four errors in the contest
- WU pitching struck out one and walked one; C-N had one strikeout and five walks

KEY BULLDOGS

- Hannah Stevens went two-for-three with four RBI and a run scored
- Savanna Brooks went two-for-four with a double, homer, three RBI and two runs scored
- Raelynn Kramer also homered for the Bulldogs
- Kaylee Hobgood was two-for-three with a double, RBI and two runs scored
- Hannah Reeves added a hit, RBI and run scored
- Alyssa Hall went two-for-two with three runs scored
- Ragan Liles also had a pair of hits and a run scored
- Jillian Thomas went 4 1/3 innings, allowing just two earned runs

FIRST INNING

- The 'Dogs jumped out to a 4-0 lead
- Hobgood drew a leadoff walk, then scored on a two-run homer from Brooks
- A pair of walks put two on for Stevens
- Her two-run single to center gave the 'Dogs a four-run lead

SECOND INNING

- A solo homer from Hayden Dye got the Eagles on the board

THIRD INNING

- RBI singles from Macauley Bailey and Kennady Warder, along with a sacrifice fly tied it at four
- Hall lined a one-out single to left in the bottom of the frame, then moved to third on a Liles single
- Stevens drove home Hall to put the 'Dogs back on top 5-4

FIFTH INNING

- The Bulldogs scored seven times in the fifth to end it
- Kramer got things started with a solo homer down the left field line
- Hall and Liles followed with singles, with a Stevens RBI single pushing the lead to three
- Liles scored on a wild pitch to make it 8-4
- An RBI single from Hobgood plated Stevens
- Brooks drove home Danielle Kirchhofer when she reached on an error to make it 10-4
- Reeves followed with an RBI single
- She would then score on a wild pitch to end the game at 12-4

WRAPUP

- Thomas got the win, moving to 5-1 on the year
- She allowed two earned runs on six hits in 4 1/3 innings, striking out one without a walk
- Hali Scott retired both batters she faced to earn her fourth save of the year
- Rylee Gattis took the loss, allowing 10 runs on 10 hits in 4 1/3 innings

GAME TWO | #17 WINGATE 9 CARSON-NEWMAN 6

KEY STATS

- Carson-Newman out-hit Wingate 11-10
- Each team had four extra-base hits; the 'Dogs had three of the five homers
- C-N left eight on base; the Bulldogs stranded five
- Wingate had three of the four errors in the contest
- The 'Dogs had all three stolen bases
- WU pitching struck out six and walked one; C-N had six strikeouts and four walks

KEY BULLDOGS

- Heaven Maness went two-for-three with a homer and three RBI
- Brooks had a homer and two RBI
- Stevens also homered, driving in two runs and scoring three
- Hobgood was two-for-four with a triple, two RBI and a run scored
- Kirchhofer added two hits and a run scored
- Liles contributed a hit and a run scored
- Raechel Cutcher went the distance to earn the win, striking out six

SECOND INNING

- A pair of walks and a wild pitch put runners on second and third for Wingate
- A two-run single from Maness gave the 'Dogs a 2-0 lead

FOURTH INNING

- Liles got things started with a one-out single
- Stevens launched a two-run homer to give Wingate a four-run cushion
- Maness followed with a solo shot to make it 5-0

FIFTH INNING

- Macey Hughes got Carson-Newman on the board with a two-run homer
- Brooks led off the bottom of the frame with a solo shot to make it 6-2

SIXTH INNING

- An error and Kichhofer single put two on for the Bulldogs
- Hobgood's two-run triple to left center gave Wingate a six-run lead
- Brooks ripped an RBI single to left to make it 9-2
- Bailey's two-run double in the bottom of the frame made it 9-4
- Warder added a two-run shot to make the final margin 9-6

WRAPUP

- Cutcher got the win, moving to 10-3 on the year
- She allowed six runs on 11 hits in seven innings, striking out six and walking one
- Syerra Rogers took the loss, allowing nine runs on 10 hits in six innings

UP NEXT

- Wingate is back in action Tuesday, hosting UNC Pembroke for a doubleheader at 1 p.m.