Wingate, N.C.----The 19th-ranked Lenoir-Rhyne University Bears held off a furious rally from Wingate University in game one of Friday's South Atlantic Conference doubleheader, as the Bulldogs cut a seven-run deficit to one before the Bears hung on for a 9-8 victory. LR took game two 3-2 to improve to 28-8 overall and 12-0 in the SAC, while the Bulldogs fall to 21-15 overall and 6-8 in league play.

GAME ONE | #19 WINGATE 9 WINGATE 8

KEY STATS

- Lenoir-Rhyne out-hit Wingate 12-7
- LR had five of the six extra-base hits with all three homers
- The Bulldogs left nine on base; the Bears stranded eight
- Lenoir-Rhyne committed all three errors
- LR pitching struck out nine and walked six; WU had six strikeouts and four walks

KEY BULLDOGS

- Lily Huneycutt was two-for-two with a double, RBI and run scored
- Kendra Murray and Macie Tillman each added a hit, RBI and run scored
- Kaylee Hobgood drove in a run and scored twice
- Reagan Simmons added an RBI and scored a run
- Damyia McFadden scored a pair of runs

FIRST INNING

- Hobgood was hit by a pitch to start the inning
- McFadden reached on a fielder's choice, then moved to second on a walk
- McFadden scored on Murray's single to give Wingate a 1-0 lead

THIRD INNING

- Hobgood drew a leadoff walk, then moved to second on a groundout
- She scored on Huneycutt's RBI double to give Wingate a 2-0 lead

FOURTH INNING

- Kaylan Brown connected on a three-run homer to give LR a 3-2 lead

SIXTH INNING

- A Madison Wilson RBI double made it 4-2
- Madison Primm launched a three-run homer to make it a five-run game
- Lani Warren followed with a solo shot to make it 8-2
- Avery Kiger added an RBI single to give the Bears a 9-2 cushion

SEVENTH INNING

- Wingate scored six runs in the seventh
- An error, hit batter and Huneycutt single loaded the bases to start the frame
- Murray drew a bases-loaded walk to start the scoring
- Tillman's RBI single made it 9-4
- A Simmons RBI groundout and LR error pulled the 'Dogs within three
- Raleigh Dudley drew a bases-loaded walk to make it a two-run game
- Hobgood's RBI groundout made it 9-8, moving runners to second and third
- Faith Carrigan induced a game-ending groundout, stranding the winning run on second

WRAPUP

- Madison Wilson got the win, allowing seven runs on six hits in six innings
- Carrigan got the save, allowing a run on a hit in an inning of work, striking out one
- Huneycutt took the loss, allowing six runs on eight hits in 5 2/3 innings, striking out six

GAME TWO | #19 LENOIR-RHYNE 3 WINGATE 2

KEY STATS

- Wingate out-hit LR 5-4
- The Bears had two of the three extra-base hits with both homers
- Lenoir-Rhyne left six on base; the Bulldogs stranded five
- The Bears committed both errors in the contest
- LR struck out five without a walk; WU had three strikeouts and five walks

KEY BULLDOGS

- McFadden had a hit and a pair of RBI
- Madison Dixon added a hit and a run scored
- Addy Higginbotham also scored a run
- Reagan Simmons added a double
- Lily Robbins tossed three shutout frames without allowing a hit, striking out one

FIRST INNING

- Autumn Joyce led off the frame with a solo shot to give LR an early 1-0 lead

SECOND INNING

- Carrigan's solo shot gave the Bears a two-run lead

THRID INNING

- An Alexandria Gray sacrifice fly gave Lenoir-Rhyne a 3-0 advantage
- Dixon led off the bottom of the frame with a single, then moved to second on an error
- Hobgood's single loaded the bases
- McFadden's two-run single made it a one-run game

WRAPUP

- Carrigan got the win, allowing two runs on five hits in seven innings, striking out five
- Jillian Thomas took the loss, allowing three runs on four hits in four innings, striking out two

UP NEXT

- Wingate is back in action April 11, hosting UVA Wise for a 1 p.m. doubleheader