Wingate, N.C.----The top-seeded and seventh-ranked Wingate University Bulldogs opened SAC Tournament play in style Friday afternoon, jumping out to a 7-0 lead en route to a 7-3 victory over eighth-seeded Catawba College on day one of the 2024 South Atlantic Conference softball tournament. The Bulldogs improve to 45-7 overall, while the Indians fall to 23-26 on the season. Wingate will play in the winner's bracket Saturday morning at 10:30 a.m. against Tusculum. Catawba will play at 1 p.m. Saturday in an elimination game against Lenoir-Rhyne.

KEY STATS

- Wingate out-hit Catawba 9-6
- The Bulldogs had four of the six extra-base hits including both homers
- The 'Dogs left six on base; the Indians stranded three
- Wingate had both stolen bases in the contest
- Catawba committed the lone error
- WU pitching struck out 10 without a walk; Catawba had two strikeouts and five walks

KEY BULLDOGS

- Hali Scott homered and drove in three runs while also drawing a pair of walks on the day
- Raelynn Kramer went two-for-three with a double, homer and two RBI
- Heaven Maness added a hit and drove in a run
- Kaylee Hobgood collected a pair of hits and a stolen base
- Savanna Brooks registered a double and two runs scored
- Ragan Liles and Sydney Kale each added a hit and a run scored
- Kale struck out nine in five shutout frames to earn the win
- Lily Huneycutt added a perfect inning in relief with a strikeout

FIRST INNING

- A pair of walks put two on for the 'Dogs in the bottom of the first
- Scott lined a three-run shot to left center to give Wingate a 3-0 lead

SECOND INNING

- Kramer ripped a solo shot to left in the second to give the Bulldogs a four-run advantage

THIRD INNING

- Brooks led off the third inning with a double
- She scored on an RBI single from Maness to put the 'Dogs on top 5-0

FIFTH INNING

- A walk, Liles single and Maness sacrifice put Bulldogs on second and third
- Pinch-runner Alyssa Hall scored on a Catawba error to extend the lead to six
- Kramer followed with an RBI double to make it 7-0

SIXTH INNING

- An RBI double from Riley Tucker got the Indians on the board
- Kary Hales followed with a two-run single to make it 7-3

WRAPUP

- Kale got the win, moving to 11-1 on the season
- The All-SAC honoree struck out nine while allowing just two hits in five shutout frames
- Tucker took the loss, falling to 8-9
- She allowed five runs on four hits in two innings of work

UP NEXT

- Wingate is back in action Saturday morning, hosting Tusculum at 10:30 a.m.
- The winner of that contest will move on to Sunday, one win away from the championship series
- The loser will be back in action Saturday afternoon in an elimination game
- Every game of the double-elimination tourney this weekend will take place at Wingate