WISE – It was a series of high scoring games at Stallard Field this weekend, but in the end Wingate claimed the South Atlantic Conference series between the two teams.
The Bulldogs claimed the 11-3 win on Saturday and pair of wins on Sunday to get the season series sweep.
INSIDE THE MATCHUP
Final Game One: Wingate 11, UVA Wise 3
Final Game Two: Wingate 7, UVA Wise 4, 10 innings
Final Game Three: Wingate 9, UVA Wise 5
Records: UVA Wise (11-27, 7-14 SAC), Wingate (22-14, 14-6)
Location: Wise, Va. | Stallard Field
GAME ONE:
- Wingate had five home runs in this game, while the Cavs'
Cole Harness added to his career total with one of his own.
- The Bulldogs scored in the first, second, third, and eighth innings to claim the 11-0 lead.
- UVA Wise answered in the bottom of the eighth when
Jaden Ruehling scored on a sacrifice fly, followed soon afterward by a
Nick Badgett single up the middle that scored
Jake Weaver.
- The Highland Cavaliers would get one more run in the bottom of the ninth when Harness hit his 15
th home run of the year, which tied him for second in a single-season with Josh Scarbrough, who had 15 in 2002. The record is 16, set by Tyler Campbell in 2022.
GAME TWO:
- The second game went to extra innings before Wingate manufactured three runs in the top of the tenth to claim the 7-4 victory.
- After Wingate took the 1-0 lead in the first inning, the score remained unchanged until the fifth when
Jeb Hurst, Ruehling, and Josh Reed all crossed the plate to give the Cavs the 3-1 lead.
- The Bulldogs tied the game in the top of the sixth from a sacrifice fly and a RBI single.
-
DJ Dickson scored in the bottom of the seventh off the hit from
Collier Elkins to re-take the lead.
- Once again, the Bulldogs tied the game. This time in the top of the ninth via a single to center field that scored a runner from second base.
- In the tenth inning, the Bulldogs took the lead on a fielder's choice that scored a runner from third. Later in the inning, a second run scored on a sacrifice fly, followed by a third from an infield single. The Cavs were unable to score in the bottom of the inning and fell by a 7-4 score.
GAME THREE:
- The Bulldogs took an early lead and added to it in the third inning to go ahead 5-0.
- Reed would cut into the lead with a three-run home run, his seventh of the season, that also scored Badgett and Hurst.
- Wingate added to the lead with a grand slam in the top of the seventh.
- The Cavs attempted a comeback and loaded the bases in the bottom of the seventh. Badgett was hit by a pitch, allowing Elkins to score. Later, with only one out, the Bulldogs walked Harness, scoring
Morgan Miller. No more runners were able to score and Wingate held on for the 5-4 win.
UP NEXT
UVA Wise will travel to Bluefield, West Virginia, for a rematch with the Big Blues of Bluefield State University. The teams split a pair of games on April 2. Following that, they will travel to Greeneville, Tennessee next weekend for a SAC series with the Tusculum University Pioneers.
