Wingate hands Eagles first loss in SAC Tournament, 6-3
Forest City, N.C.----The fourth-seeded Wingate University Bulldogs got a solid start from sophomore right-hander Olen Little (Charlotte, N.C.), while redshirt junior first baseman Brian Yeung (Raleigh, N.C.) blasted a three-run homer as Wingate prevailed 6-3 over Carson-Newman on day two of the 2012 Food Lion SAC Tournament. The Bulldogs improve to 30-21 overall, and will take on top-seeded Tusculum College Saturday at 12 p.m. The Eagles fall to 25-24, and will take on Catawba Saturday at 3:45 p.m.
Forest City, N.C.----The fourth-seeded Wingate University Bulldogs got a solid start from sophomore right-hander Olen Little (Charlotte, N.C.), while redshirt junior first baseman Brian Yeung (Raleigh, N.C.) blasted a three-run homer as Wingate prevailed 6-3 over Carson-Newman on day two of the 2012 Food Lion SAC Tournament. The Bulldogs improve to 30-21 overall, and will take on top-seeded Tusculum College Saturday at 12 p.m. The Eagles fall to 25-24, and will take on Catawba Saturday at 3:45 p.m.
Yeung had a homer and three RBI to lead the attack, while senior outfielder Casey Allison (Horse Shoe, N.C.) was two-for-four with a homer. Freshman outfielder Thomas Spitz (West Chester, Pa.) was three-for-four with a double, triple and two runs scored, while freshman catcher Josh Clark (Clemmons, N.C.) was two-for-four with a double and a run scored.
The Bulldogs wasted no time getting on the board in the bottom of the first. Spitz led things off with a triple to right, then scored on a sacrifice fly from senior outfielder Dodson McPherson (Graham, N.C.) to make it 1-0.
The Eagles tied it in the top of the second when Cody Fox connected on his second homer of the year, a solo shot to left to make it 1-1.
The Bulldogs regained the lead in the fourth, when Allison blasted his 22nd homer of the season over the wall in left, making it 2-1. Allison leads the nation in homers, and has now homered in seven consecutive games, while extending his hitting streak to 22 contests.
Carson-Newman again had the answer, tying the game in the top of the fifth when Trace Rogers led off the inning with a single, then eventually scored on a wild pitch to make it 2-2.
Wingate once again had the answer, plating three runs in the bottom of the inning. Spitz and McPherson reached with singles, bringing Yeung to the plate with two outs and two on. The 2011 All-American blasted a 2-0 pitch over the wall in left, giving Wingate a 5-2 lead.
Clark led off the sixth with a double to left. He would score on a two-out RBI single from freshman shortstop Michael Godinez (Cutler Bay, Fla.), making it 6-2. The Eagles added a run in the ninth, making the final margin 6-3 when Troy Zawadzki tripled, then scored on an RBI single from Evan Kirkpatrick.
Little got the win, improving to 4-0 on the year. He allowed two runs on six hits in 6 1/3 innings of work, striking out eight and walking just one. Senior right-hander Kyle Brady (Cincinnati, Ohio) worked 1 2/3 innings of scoreless relief, striking out three. Robby Thigpen took the loss, falling to 5-3. He allowed six runs on nine hits in five innings of work, striking out three.
Wingate and Tusculum are the only two remaining teams in the tournament without a loss. The winner moves on to championship Sunday, while the loser will return to the field Saturday night at 7:30 p.m.
(Courtesy Wingate Sports Information)
