Wingate, N.C.----The top-seeded Wingate University Bulldogs prevailed 4-3 over eighth-seeded Mars Hill University in the first game of a best-of-three series in the opening round of the 2025 South Atlantic Conference softball tournament Friday afternoon. Wingate improves to 34-19 overall, while the Lions fall to 22-23 on the season. The Bulldogs need just one more win Saturday to advance to the SAC Tournament finals, which Wingate would host next weekend.
KEY STATS
- Wingate out-hit Mars Hill 5-4
- The 'Dogs had three of the five extra-base hits; each team homered
- The Lions left eight on base; the Bulldogs stranded four
- Wingate committed two of the three errors
- WU pitching struck out one and walked five; MHU had no strikeouts and two walks
KEY BULLDOGS
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Laney McLaurin homered and drove in a pair of runs
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Damyia McFadden was two-for-three with an RBI and two runs scored
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Riley Davis added a double and drove in a run
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Hannah Stevens added a double
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Raelynn Kramer scored a run
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Lily Huneycutt allowed just one run in 4 2/3 innings to earn the win
FIRST INNING
- A Maia Sholter two-run homer gave the Lions an early 2-0 lead
SECOND INNING
- McFadden ripped a two-out single to center
- McLaurin followed with a two-run homer to left, tying it at two
FOURTH INNING
- Kramer drew a leadoff walk, then moved to second on a
Jaden Burns sacrifice
- McFadden's RBI single gave Wingate the lead
- Davis followed with an RBI double to left to put the 'Dogs on top 4-2
FIFTH INNING
- A single, error and walk loaded the bases for the Lions
- Brooke Hanson drew a bases-loaded walk to make it a one-run game
SEVENTH INNING
- Huneycutt retired Mars Hill in order in the seventh to finish off the win
- She got a strikeout, foul out and groundout to wrap it up
WRAPUP
- Huneycutt got the win, allowing a run on two hits in 4 1/3 innings of work
- Blyth Freeman took the loss, allowing four runs on five hits in six innings
UP NEXT
- The two teams meet again Saturday at 1 p.m.
- If Mars Hill wins, the teams would play one more time 30 minutes after the contest ends
- If the Bulldogs win, they are on to the four-team SAC Tourney finals next weekend
- As the number one seed in the SAC Tournament, Wingate would host the finals
