Hickory, N.C.----The sixth-seeded Wingate University Bulldogs got a Joe Scheffler first-inning grand slam and a Kelan Hoover complete game Friday afternoon, knocking off third-seeded Carson-Newman University 8-1 on day one of the South Atlantic Conference baseball tournament. Wingate improves 26-24 overall, while the Eagles fall to 35-16 on the year. The 'Dogs will play in the winner's bracket game Saturday against the winner of Friday night's Lenoir-Rhyne vs. UVA Wise contest Saturday at 11 a.m. in Hickory.

KEY STATS

- Wingate out-hit Carson-Newman 9-6
- The 'Dogs had three of the four extra-base hits including both homers
- Wingate left eight on base; the Eagles stranded five
- Carson-Newman committed the lone error; the Bulldogs turned a pair of double plays
- The 'Dogs had all four stolen bases in the contest
- WU pitching struck out four and walked two; C-N had seven strikeouts and six walks

KEY BULLDOGS

- Hoover went the distance without allowing an earned run, allowing just six hits on the day
- Scheffler drove in four runs with his grand slam
- Jake Courville was two-for-three with a double, two RBI and a run scored
- Will Farrell went two-for-four with a homer
- Breon Ishmael added a hit and drove in a run
- Jordan Dixon, Cam Harris and Jalen Evans each added a hit and scored a run

FIRST INNING

- A pair of walks and a hit batter loaded the bases with two outs
- Scheffler crushed a grand slam to left to give Wingate an early 4-0 lead

SECOND INNING

- Gavin Groppuso drew a two-out walk, then moved to second on Courville's single
- Ishmael's RBI single gave the Bulldogs a five-run cushion

THIRD INNING

- An RBI single from Ryan Jenkins got the Eagles on the board

EIGHTH INNING

- Farrell launched a solo shot to center to extend the WU lead back to five
- An Evans single and Groppuso walk put two more on for the Bulldogs
- Courville's two-run double put the 'Dogs on top 8-1

WRAPUP

- Hoover got the win, moving to 5-4 on the year
- He went all nine innings, allowing an unearned run on six hits while striking out four and walking two
- Hoover threw 121 pitches on the day, retiring the side in order in five of his first six innings
- He induced a double play after a leadoff single in the ninth, then got a flyout to end the game
- Andrew Bench took the loss, allowing five runs on three hits in two innings of work

UP NEXT

- Wingate is back in action Saturday at 11 a.m.
- The 'Dogs face Friday's LR-UVA Wise winner in the winner's bracket game
- The winner of that game will advance to Sunday, one win away from the championship series
- The loser will be back in action Saturday night at 7 p.m.