Hickory, N.C. – The Wingate Softball Team (17-13, 4-0) stung No. 15 Lenoir-Rhyne (28-7, 2-2) with a South Atlantic Conference doubleheader sweep, 5-4 and 6-5, Wednesday afternoon at Bears Field.
Game One – Wingate 5, Lenoir-Rhyne 4 (eight innings)
The Bulldogs' Mary Clair Coyne (Knoxville, Tenn.) finished with three hits and three runs batted in including the game-winning RBI single in the top of the eighth inning as Wingate held on after squandering a 4-0 advantage.
Lenoir-Rhyne forced extra innings with four runs in its half of the seventh highlighted by sophomore outfielder
Erin Boone's (Creedmoor, N.C.) game-tying, run-scoring single.
The Bulldogs' Aubrey Reep (Eastover, N.C.) improved to 9-7 on the year after pitching two scoreless innings in relief while freshman
Sydney Miller (East Bend, N.C.) fell to 4-4 after taking the loss. Freshman pinch hitter
Mackensi Swain (Pinetown, N.C.) drove in two runs for the Bears.
Game Two – Wingate 6, Lenoir-Rhyne 5
Once again, Lenoir-Rhyne rallied from a 4-0 deficit but Wingate responded with two runs in the top of the seventh inning to complete the sweep.
With the score tied at five, the Bulldogs' Megan Martucci (Huntersville, N.C.) crossed the plate on an errant throw with two outs. Wingate's Rebekah Woods (Sylvania, Ga.) drove in two runs in the victory.
Lenoir-Rhyne senior catcher
Sarah Kenley (Charlotte, N.C.) gave the Bears a 5-4 advantage with a grand slam in the bottom of the fifth inning. Kenley leads the league in runs batted in with 40.
On the mound, Rachel Weidner (Greenville, N.C.) improved to 8-6 on the year after earning the win for the Bulldogs while sophomore
Brandi Parks (Roaring River, N.C.) (17-2) suffered the loss for the Bears.
Lenoir-Rhyne next travels to Brevard, N.C., to face Brevard in a South Atlantic Conference doubleheader on Saturday afternoon at 2:00 p.m., while Wingate hosts Mars Hill Saturday at 1:00 p.m., in a doubleheader.
