JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. – The Wingate Bulldogs hit 10 home runs over the course of two games to sweep a South Atlantic Conference doubleheader from Carson-Newman on Saturday at the Silver Diamond Baseball Complex. The Bulldogs won the opener, 12-4, and the nightcap, 8-4.
With the wins, the Bulldogs improve to 21-14 overall and 9-8 in SAC play. The Eagles fall to 17-17 and 9-8 in SAC play.
Game 1 – Wingate 12, Carson-Newman 4
The Wingate Bulldogs hit six home runs and scores the game's final seven runs to beat the Eagles in Game 1, 12-4.
Wingate centerfielder Casey Allison hit two home runs, a solo shot in the second inning and a two-run blast in the seventh to carry the Bulldogs offense. He and designated hitter Josh Clark each had three hits as Wingate led throughout.
The Bulldogs jumped to a 5-0 lead courtesy of three early home runs. Allison's first shot of the day cleared the centerfield fence and sent Wingate to a 1-0 lead in the second. Clark would follow with a single and would score when C-N right fielder Evan Kirkpatrick had a fly ball pop out of his glove.
Wingate left fielder Thomas Spitz and third baseman Jacob Karr went back-to-back to lead off the third inning with the Bulldogs second and third home runs of the game, giving Wingate an early 5-0 lead.
Carson-Newman caught a break in the fifth as Cody Fox's bad-hop single started a four-run inning.
Lance Reed's leadoff double started the rally as the Eagles climbed back in the game. Third baseman Lance Rorex followed with a single to left to put runners on the corners.
Fox followed with a ground ball to shortstop James Tedder that bounced up and off of Tedder's shoulder to give C-N a pair of base runners with no outs.
Lucas Mohon followed with a pinch-hit RBI double to cut the lead to 5-2. Freshman Bo Ausmus added a two-run single as the Eagles kept the rally going with two outs. Junior Zach Long followed with a double off the top half of the fence in left, but Ausmus was thrown out trying to score from first and tie the game.
The Eagles had six hits in the inning, but only nine in the game.
Wingate starter Ben Currie allowed eight hits in 8.0 innings pitch to improve to 4-2. Eagle starter Robbie Thigpen (LP, 5-2) took the loss allowing six earned runs in 6.0 innings of work.
Wingate outhit the Eagles, 15-9.
Game 1 – Wingate 8, Carson-Newman 4
Wingate first baseman Brian Yeung hit a two-run home run in the third inning to give the Bulldogs all the runs they needed in an 8-1 win in Game 2.
The Bulldogs again used the long ball, hitting four home runs to complete the sweep.
Spits and Karr hit back-to-back home runs in the third inning to extend Wingate's lead to 7-0. They hit back-to-back home runs twice in the doubleheader.
Carson-Newman's offense came off the bat of Kyle Koeneman, who hit a solo home run in the fourth inning.
Starter Ryan Fitzpatrick (WP, 2-1) went five innings for the Bulldogs to pick up the win. He allowed just two hits.
A two-hour rain delay halted the game in the bottom of the sixth inning.
C-N loaded the bases courtesy of a Wingate error and a single by Fox. Zach Long and Lance Reed each drew a bases loaded walk as the Eagles cut the lead to 8-3 against Bulldog reliever Matt High.
Stephen Vaughn came on for Wingate to end the threat, surrendering a sacrifice fly to Rorex and striking out Bryan Everhart to keep the damage at a minimum. He retired the Eagles in order in the ninth to pick up his first save of the season.
The Eagles and Bulldogs wrap-up a three game series on Sunday with a 1 p.m. first pitch at the Silver Diamond Baseball Complex.