February 4, 2007

Game 1 Box
Game 2 Box

LAURINBURG, N.C.— On a ‘Super’ cold and windy Sunday afternoon, Wingate University opened up the 2007 softball season with a doubleheader sweep of host St. Andrews Presbyterian College in NCAA Division II softball action by 2-1 and 9-1 scores.

The Lady Bulldogs, who are receiving eight votes in the NFCA pre-season national poll, start the season 2-0 and the Lady Knights begin 0-2. Wingate will host non-conference UNC-Pembroke on Saturday at 1:00 p.m. while SAPC entertains non-conference Catawba also on Saturday with first-pitch slated for 1:30 p.m.

Game 1: Wingate 2, St. Andrews 1

After three scoreless innings, Wingate scored the first run of the game in the top of the fourth. Junior Courtney Wagner (Myrtle Beach, S.C.) led off with a single up the middle and senior Kimee Lewis (Farmington, Utah) followed with a one-out infield single advancing Wagner to second. Freshman LaRonda McClain (Kings Mountain, N.C.) loaded the bases with a bunt single. Sophomore Hallie Pettigrew (Uniontown, Ohio) drove in Wagner to give the Lady Bulldogs a slim 1-0 lead with a grounder to shortstop that was fumbled. St. Andrews avoided worse damage when sophomore Dani Ghramm (Hayden, Idaho) turned a quick double play at third base.

The Lady Knights rallied with their lone run in the bottom of the fifth. Freshman Brianna Shurtleff (Colton, Calif.) led off with a single to center field to break up a no-hit bid by Wingate senior Ashley Green ( Charleston, S.C.) before being picked off. Freshman Nicole Easter (Lumberton, N.C.) started a new rally with a single to center and classmate Morgan Farroll (Newton Grove, N.C.) added her own single to left-center. Wingate looked to end the threat when junior Mika Tanji (Honolulu, Hawaii) grounded to second base but a catching error on the throw by the first baseman allowed Easter to score from second.

St. Andrews sophomore Brittni York (Indian Trail, N.C.) saved three possible Bulldog runs in the sixth when she caught a senior Mandi Chester (Charlotte, N.C.) blast at the top of the center field fence. However, Wingate got the go-ahead run with a two-out rally in the top of the seventh. Sophomore Heather Winchester (Waxhaw, N.C.) got it going with a double to left field and Wagner’s ensuing double down the left field line plated Winchester.

Green struck out six over seven innings of work to post the complete-game victory. McClain, Pettigrew, and freshman Leyila Myers (Marietta, Ga.) all had two hits for the visitors.

Freshman hurler Lauren James (Bahama, N.C.) went the distance for SAPC scattering 12 hits while fanning one. B. Shurtleff led the Knights offensively with two hits.

Game 2: Wingate 9, St. Andrews 1 (6 innings)

Wingate jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the nightcap with a single run three of the first four innings. Chester supplied an RBI groundout in the first while senior Joy Henry (Virginia Beach, Va.) drove in the final two runs with a double in the second and a triple in the fourth.

St. Andrews got on the board in the bottom of the fourth behind back-to-back doubles by B. Shurtleff and senior Devane Rushing (Monroe, N.C.).

The Lady Bulldogs broke the game open with a six-run sixth inning that was capped by a grand slam from Chester. Lewis and Pettigrew also had RBI-singles during the sixth. Chester’s bases clearing home run to left field (first of the season) put the eight-run run in effect after St. Andrews was retired in the bottom half.

Chester finished the finale with five RBI while Henry drove in a pair. McClain and McPhail each crossed home plate twice. Freshman Meredith Harris (Kittrell, N.C.) picked up her first collegiate win in relief of Green. Harris allowed one run on two hits over the final three innings while striking out five. Green struck out two in the first three frames.

York was tagged with the loss after allowing nine runs on 12 hits in six innings of action. York posted three K’s. Rushing was a perfect 2-for-2 with an RBI to lead the Lady Knights.