FMU (9-1) runs its winning streak to eight games, while Wingate drops to 5-3. The Patriots play host to Peach Belt Conference foe UNC Pembroke for a doubleheader on Wednesday at 2 p.m. Wingate’s next games are also against UNCP, but on Saturday at noon in Pembroke.
Wolf allowed only a one-out double to Bulldog second baseman Gina Ager in the third inning en route to gaining the game-one victory. She struck out six and walked only one, while throwing 92 pitches (62 strikes).
The Patriots took advantage of Wingate miscues, albeit not all errors, to score single runs in the second and fifth innings. Jessica Birchmeier doubled, went to third on an illegal pitch by Wingate starter Brittany Blankenship (2-1) and scored on a wild pitch. In the fifth frame, Lakyn Bendle stole third and when the Wingate catcher tried to hold up her throw, it slipped out of her hand and rolled into the FMU dugout allowing Bendle to score.
Shannan Tyson, who had two hits in the opener, had an RBI single in the sixth and Bendle worked a bases-loaded walk to account for the other two Patriot tallies.
FMU took a 1-0 lead in game two on Bendle’s RBI ground out in the bottom of the first. Wingate answered with a two-run homer over the center field fence by designated player Megan Oxendine. It was the freshman’s first collegiate hit in only her third at bat.
Wolf (8-1) relieved FMU starter Jessie Alesi in the third inning and kept the Bulldogs off the scoreboard. FMU senior first baseman Monica Wofford tied the game with an RBI single in the third. She later came around to score the go-ahead run on a two-out Wingate error.
Wingate had runners on first and third with no outs in the top of the sixth, but Wolf retired the next three batters in order. The Patriots scored two insurance runs in the sixth on a 2-run, bad-hop single by Birchmeier.
Tyson recorded three hits in game two, while Allie Aleman, Wofford, and Birchmeier all had two hits.
Sophomore right-hander Meredith Harris (1-2) was tagged with the game-two loss. She fanned six in her four innings. Outfielder Leyila Myers was the lone Bulldog to get two hits in the second contest.
