Wingate, N.C.----The Wingate University Bulldogs scored 19 runs over the final four innings Tuesday evening, cruising to a 21-9 victory over #15 Francis Marion University in NCAA Division II baseball action at Ron Christopher Stadium and Plyler Athletic Field. Wingate improves to 22-5 overall, while the Patriots fall to 21-6 on the season.

KEY STATS

- Wingate out-hit Francis Marion 15-10
- Each team had five extra-base hits; the Patriots had four of the seven homers
- The Bulldogs left eight on base; FMU stranded six
- The 'Dogs had three of the four stolen bases
- Francis Marion committed all three errors in the contest
- WU pitching struck out nine and walked five; FMU had eight strikeouts and 11 walks

KEY BULLDOGS

- Gavin Groppuso was three-for-five with a homer, five RBI and three runs scored
- Jake Courville went three-for-five with five RBI and two runs scored
- Tanner McCammon had three hits including a homer, driving in two and scoring three times
- Sean Sullivan added a triple, homer, two RBI and three runs scored
- Will Farrell contributed a triple, two RBI and a run scored
- Bowen Powell collected a hit, two RBI and two runs scored
- Reed Benamati had two hits, two RBI and three runs scored
- Max Reaume drew three walks and scored three times
- Carson Starnes struck out one in a scoreless inning of relief
- Parker Jensen struck out two in two innings of work
- Nick Papciak had three strikeouts in 1 1/3 frames

FIRST INNING

- A Charlie Buss solo homer gave FMU an early 1-0 lead

SECOND INNING

- An Evan Matile two-run homer stretched the lead to three
- A Buss two-run homer made it 5-0
- McCammon's solo shot in the bottom of the frame got the Bulldogs on the board
- Sullivan followed with a solo homer to make it 5-2

FIFTH INNING

- Benamati drew a one-out walk
- Groppuso launched a two-run homer to right, pulling the 'Dogs within a run

SIXTH INNING

- A Zander Bucha RBI double gave the Patriots a 6-4 advantage
- Daniel Husse added a sacrifice fly to stretch the lead back to three
- Sullivan reached on an error to start the bottom of the frame
- Courville's RBI single plated Sullivan
- Benamati's RBI single made it a one-run game
- Groppuso lined a two-run single to left center to put the 'Dogs on top 8-7

SEVENTH INNING

- Sullivan got things started with a one-out triple to left center
- He scored on Courville's RBI single
- Farrell's RBI triple made it 10-7
- Benamati added an RBI single to extend the lead to four
- An error allowed Reaume to score, while McCammon's RBI single made it 13-7
- Sullivan was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to plate Jalen Evans
- Courville's two-run single gave the Bulldogs a 16-7 advantage

EIGHTH INNING

- Two walks and a wild pitch put 'Dogs on second and third to start the eighth
- Groppuso's RBI single started the scoring
- Powell's two-run single made it 19-8
- Courville drew a bases-loaded walk to give Wingate 20 runs on the day
- Farrell's RBI groundout gave the Bulldogs a 21-8 cushion

WRAPUP

- Starnes got the win, tossing a scoreless inning, striking out one while giving up one hit
- Owen Powell took the loss, allowing four runs on five hits in an inning of work

UP NEXT

- Wingate is back in action Friday, starting a three-game series at Catawba at 5 p.m.