HICKORY, N.C. – Playing for a SAC Tournament Championship for the first time since 2001, the Lenoir-Rhyne baseball team takes on No. 1 Wingate on Monday. The Bears enter 3-0 in the double-elimination tournament and Wingate comes in with a loss meaning the Bulldogs need a sweep to earn the title.

First pitch was moved to 1 p.m. because of the late end to last night's games. Wingate defeated Catawba 6-0 in an elimination game that finished after midnight to earn their spot in the title game.

The Bears earned their way in to the championship with a convincing win over Wingate in the first game of the day on Sunday. LR defeated Wingate 11-2 behind seven strong innings from Austin Edwards. Edwards allowed just three hits and the offense scored at least two runs in four different innings. The win over the No. 1 team in the nation since at least 2000.

In just his third year at the helm, head coach Chris Ramirez has won as many SAC Tournament games this year (3) as LR had won since their last SAC Tournament title in 2001. The Bears were 3-18 heading into this year's championship run since 2001 and hadn't won a game in the tournament since 2006.

LR will be in search of just their third SAC Tournament Championship as the Bears went back-to-back in 2000 and 2001. Standing in the way is not only the No. 1 team in the nation but the defending National Champion Wingate Bulldogs. Wingate enters the contest with a 45-7 overall mark and won the league's regular season crown. Wingate has won the SAC Tournament seven times including in 2021.

The probable starter for LR is lefty Joey Cobb who is 4-1 with a 3.51 ERA in 15 appearances with six starts. Cobb has 45 strikeouts 33.1 innings on the year.

With a win in game one, it would be the first time since 2000 that LR swept through the SAC Tournament without a loss. A win would also lock up an NCAA Tournament bid for the winner, although both teams have secured a spot in the postseason already.