March 7, 2009

WINGATE, N.C. - The Wingate University Bulldogs swept a doubleheader over the Mars Hill College Lions in South Atlantic Conference baseball action Saturday at Ron Christopher Stadium and Plyler Athletic Field. Wingate (11-11, 2-1 SAC) won the first game 18-17 in 11 innings, then took game two 11-8 over Mars Hill (10-14, 1-5 SAC.). In seven hours and 51 minutes of baseball, the two teams combined for 54 runs and 70 hits.

Game One: Wingate 18, Mars Hill 17 (11 innings)
After playing for over five hours (5:12), freshman infielder Joshua Karr (Richmond, Va.) singled to right center field to drive in senior outfielder Mark Letchworth (Greenville, N.C.) to lift the Bulldogs past the Lions in game two of the SAC three-game series 18-17 in the bottom of the 11th inning. The teams combined for 50 hits in the contest.  The 10th innings was the only frame where no runs were scored in the game. There 16 extra base hits in the contest including six homeruns.

Senior infielder Aaron Knowles (Hope Town, Bahamas) led Wingate at the plate going three-for-six with seven RBI and two homeruns. Freshman outfielder Dodson McPherson (Graham, N.C.) followed going four-for-five with three RBI, a double and a homerun. Freshman infielder Jacob Karr (Richmond, Va.) was five-for-six at the plate with three runs scored, two RBI and a homerun.  Joshua Karr picked up the win (1-0) throwing the final 3.2 innings of the game.

Senior outfielder Brian Williams (Orlando, Fla.) led MHC going 5-6 with seven RBI, a triple and a homerun. Junior infielder Devin Presnell (Boone, N.C.) and junior outfielder Patrick Davidson (Swannanoa, N.C.) followed with four hits apiece. Junior pitcher Andrew Rudnay (Solon, Ohio) took the loss (1-1) for MHC on the mound.

MHC took a 5-0 lead after the first two innings of play and then added single run in the third inning before Wingate would finally get on the board plating four runs in the bottom half of the third frame to bring the Bulldogs within two runs (6-4) of the Lions.  MHC added a pair of runs in the fourth inning but Wingate put up four runs in both the fourth and fifth innings to lead 12-8 going into the sixth inning.  The Lions scored three runs in their sixth at-bat to come within a single run (12-11) of the Bulldogs.

After trading runs in the seventh inning, MHC scored three runs in the eighth inning on three hits and two Wingate miscues to lead 15-13.  The Lions held Wingate scoreless in the bottom half of the inning but was also not able to send any runs across the plate in the top of the ninth.  McPherson homered to right center to send the game into extra innings in the bottom of the ninth with one out.  Knowles led off the inning with a single to account for the first run of the at-bat.

After a scoreless tenth frame, RBI singles from senior catcher Mike Dobre (Pompano Beach, Fla.) and Presnell gave the Lions a 17-15 advantage heading into the bottom of the eleventh.  After the bases were loaded, freshman outfielder Casey Allison (Horse Shoe, N.C.) scored on a base on balls and then infielder Chris Vazquez (Tyrone, Ga.) also crossed the plate on a walk before Karr’s game winning hit. Allison singled to lead off the inning, Vazquez walked and then both runners were moved by a sacrifice bunt from senior infielder Alex Chapman (Morganton, N.C.). Letchworth then walked to load the bases and set up the game winning run.

Game Two: Wingate 11, Mars Hill 8
Letchworth led the Wingate offense, going two-for-four with two homers and five RBI. Joshua Karr was two-for-three with two RBI and a run scored while Jacob Karr also drove in two runs for the Bulldogs.

Senior outfielder Matt Oleski (West Seneca, N.Y.) led the Mars Hill attack in game two, going two-for-four with a homer, two RBI and two runs scored. Williams added two hits and two RBI for the Lions while sophomore infielder Dalton Hardee (Boone, N.C.) had two RBI and a run scored.

The Lions once again struck first, getting a run in the top of the first on an RBI single from Williams.

The Bulldogs had the answer in the bottom of the inning, taking a 2-1 lead on a two-run homer to center from Letchworth.

Mars Hill plated five runs in the fourth, starting with a two-run homer from Oleski. Hardee added a two-run double while an RBI single from Dobre made it 6-2.

Wingate once again had the answer, scoring eight runs in the bottom of the inning. Joshua Karr got it started with a two-run single. A two-run double from Jacob Karr put the Bulldogs back on top. Letchworth capped the scoring with a towering three run homer to left, his team-high 12th of the year to make it 10-6.

Each team scored a run in the fifth. The Lions plated one more run in the seventh for the final 11-8 margin. Wingate pounded out 11 hits in the second game while Mars Hill had nine.

Junior left-hander Cale Rogers (Snow Camp, N.C.) got the win, pitching two-thirds of an inning while allowing one run. Sophomore Kevin Childs (Anderson, S.C.) got the save, going three innings without allowing an earned run and striking out two. Freshman Alex Britt (Charlotte, N.C.) took the loss, allowing 11 runs on 11 hits in five innings while striking out five.

The Bulldogs return to action Tuesday, hosting Lander at 3 p.m. MHC hosts Alderson-Broadus Wednesday at 3 p.m.

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