Salisbury, N.C.----The 21st-ranked Catawba College Indians opened up the final conference series of the season with a 2-1 victory over visiting Wingate University Friday night in South Atlantic Conference baseball action. The Indians improve to 35-12 overall and 22-6 in the SAC, while the Bulldogs fall to 27-19 overall and 18-10 in league play.

KEY STATS

- Catawba out-hit Wingate 8-6
- The Bulldogs had three of the four extra-base hits
- The 'Dogs left eight on base; the Indians stranded seven
- Catawba had four of the five stolen bases
- Catawba pitching struck out nine and walked three; WU had five strikeouts and two walks

KEY BULLDOGS

- Breon Ishmael was two-for-four with a double and an RBI
- Isaiah Williams-Rhem added two hits including a double
- Sean Barnett scored a run for the Bulldogs
- Kelan Hoover allowed just one run in six innings of work, striking out five

FIRST INNING

- An RBI single from Bo Rusher gave the Indians an early 1-0 lead

FOURTH INNING

- The 'Dogs nearly tied it on Ishmael's double in the fourth, but Brett Adams was called out at the plate trying to score from first

SIXTH INNING

- Barnett was hit by a pitch, then stole second
- He scored on Ishmael's RBI single, tying it at one

SEVENTH INNING

- An RBI single from Dylan Driver put the Indians back on top 2-1

WRAPUP

- Mason Gwyn got the win, tossing 1 2/3 shutout innings with two strikeouts
- Brent Walls took the loss, allowing a run on three hits in two innings of work
- Hayden Simmerson got the final two outs of the night to notch the save

UP NEXT

- The two teams wrap up the series Saturday afternoon with a doubleheader starting at 3 p.m.