GREENEVILLE, Tenn. --- Wingate University totaled 25 runs and 31 hits as the second-ranked Bulldogs swept a South Atlantic Conference baseball doubleheader at Tusculum University Friday at Pioneer Park.
Wingate (37-5, 17-2 SAC) had 12 different players record a hit as the Bulldogs won the series opener 20-6. Wingate jumped out to an early 5-0 lead and had to hold off a furious TU rally in winning the night-cap 5-4.
The Bulldogs, the defending NCAA Division II national champions, extend their winning streak to five in a row and secures their first series win at Tusculum since 2016.
The Pioneers have dropped their last four games to move their record to 16-25 (5-15 SAC).
Game 1: No. 2 Wingate 20, Tusculum 6
Michael Dansky and Mitch Farris each had five RBI games to lead Wingate to a 20-6 win in Friday's first game. The Bulldogs totaled 25 hits including Dansky's 4-for-6 effort in the victory.
Farris and Seaver King each had three-hit performances, while Andrew Motsinger and Dansky scored three runs apiece. Eight of the Bulldogs 25 hits went for extra bases including two doubles each by Farris and Grayson Chapman.
Wingate sent 10 batters to the plate in a four-run, first inning highlighted by a two-run single by King. TU answered in the bottom of the frame on Zane Keener's three-run homer to right field to cut the deficit to 4-3.
The Bulldogs bounced back with nine straight runs thanks to five tallies in the third inning and four more in the fourth to take a 13-3 lead. Farris' three-run double in the third sparked that frame, while WU used four singles and a Chapman double in the 4-run fourth.
Tusculum answered with two runs in the bottom of the fourth including a RBI triple off the bat of Kyle Williams. But Wingate scored two more in the fifth, one in the seventh and four more in the eighth.
Wingate starter Austin Mitchell improved his record to 9-0 as he went six innings, allowed five runs on eight hits, two walks and a strikeout. TU used six pitchers in the opener as starter Sam Loew was tagged with the loss (2-2).
Tusculum finished the game with 11 hits including two hits each by Rudy Fernandez, Will Samuelson and Williams.
Game 2: No. 2 Wingate 5, Tusculum 4
Wingate took advantage of four Tusculum errors in winning the second game, 5-4. All five WU runs were unearned including four in the first inning.
Wingate starter Josh Dotson scattered seven hits and allowed one run in his five innings of work to improve to 5-0 on the season. Closer Sam Brodersen surrendered three runs on three hits, including Christian Ortega's three-run homer in the bottom of the seventh. The game-tying run got on base with two outs in the seventh, but Brodersen secured his seventh save of the year with a ground out.
TU starter Justin Parker recorded his first complete game as he went the distance where he allowed five unearned runs on six hits, one walk and six strikeouts in his 124-pitch performance. Dotson also eclipsed the 100-pitch plateau in his start for the Bulldogs as he finished with 116.
In the first inning, the Bulldogs batted around with Justin Guy coming up with the big hit of the frame with a two-run single. Chapman added a RBI single in the second inning to spot Wingate to a 5-0 lead.
The Pioneers finally got to Dotson in the sixth TU loaded the bases with no outs. Brodersen took over and struck out Blaze McCauley before giving up a Williams' sacrifice fly to bring home the Pioneers' first run of the game. A walk to Ryan Dos Santos loaded the bases again, but a Brodersen strikeout ended the threat.
Meanwhile, Parker settled in and blanked the Bulldogs for the final five innings including eight in a row to end his outing.
In the bottom of the seventh, Keener led off with a single and later moved to second on Samuelson's one-out base hit. Ortega stepped up and lifted a three-run homer to left field to make it a 5-4 game. A two-out walk to pinch hitter Ryan Kavulick put the tying run aboard but that would be as close at the Pioneers would get.
Tusculum out-hit the Bulldogs 10-6 in the game as Fernandez, Keener and Ortega all had two hits.
The two teams will close out the series on Saturday with a 2 p.m. single game. Prior to Saturday's game, Tusculum will honor is baseball seniors.
