Wingate, N.C.----The Wingate University Bulldogs opened another weekend conference series with a victory Friday evening, prevailing 6-5 over Mars Hill University in South Atlantic Conference baseball action Friday Ron Christopher Stadium and Plyler Athletic Field. The Bulldogs win their 14th straight, improving to 20-4 overall and 11-2 in the SAC, while the Lions fall to 8-14-1 overall and 5-7-1 in league play.

KEY STATS

- Wingate out-hit Mars Hill 13-5
- The 'Dogs had six of the eight extra-base hits with two of the three homers
- Each team left eight on base
- The Bulldogs had the lone stolen base
- Wingate committed both errors in the contest
- MHU pitching struck out six and walked three; WU had five strikeouts and five walks

KEY BULLDOGS

- Jake Courville was two-for-three with a homer, two RBI and two runs scored
- David Sessoms went three-for-four with a homer
- Tanner McCammon added a double, RBI and run scored
- Sean Sullivan contributed a double and drove in a run
- Gavin Groppuso also had a hit and an RBI
- Bowen Powell was three-for-four with a double and run scored
- Jalen Evans added a hit and scored a run
- Chad Harvey struck out three in six innings of work to earn the win
- Parker Jensen struck out one, tossing a scoreless ninth to notch the save

FIRST INNING

- Evans drew a one-out walk, then stole second
- He scored on Sullivan's RBI double to get the 'Dogs on the board

SECOND INNING

- An RBI groundout from Starkey tied it at one
- A Courville walk and Sessoms single put Bulldogs on the corner in the bottom of the frame
- A Groppuso RBI single gave Wingate a 2-1 advantage

THIRD INNING

- Powell started the inning with a single
- He scored on McCammon's RBI double
- Courville followed with a two-run homer to make it 5-1
- Sessoms connected on a solo shot to give the 'Dogs a five-run cushion

FOURTH INNING

- Mel Rubiera  led off the inning with a solo homer to make it 6-2

FIFTH INNING

- A Carter Potts RBI single made it a three-run game

EIGHTH INNING

- Starkey reached on an error to pull the Lions within two
- Terick Bumgarner scored on a passed ball to make it 6-5

NINTH INNING

- Jensen got a strikeout and two flyouts to secure the victory

WRAPUP

- Harvey got the win, moving to 6-0 on the year
- He allowed three runs on five hits in six innings of work, striking out three
- Jensen worked a 1-2-3 ninth to notch his third save of the year
- Austin Kutz took the loss, allowing six runs on 11 hits in five innings of work

UP NEXT

- The teams wrap up the series with a Saturday doubleheader starting at 1 p.m.
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