WINGATE, N.C. – The Diamond Jaguars fell twice on the road to open the season at Wingate on Saturday afternoon 8-0, 6-5 in non-conference action.
In the first meeting, Wingate's Amy Wingfield homered off GRU (0-2) starting pitcher Paige Deschaine for a 1-0 lead in the third inning. Shannen Adams walked and reached second on a passed ball, before Katie McLaurin took first on a Jaguar error from center field. Adams scored and Hayley Whitley doubled for a 3-0 Bulldog lead.
Jags freshman Julia Banks came in to pitch in the third and gave up a run with a bases loaded hit-by-pitch. Deschaine took back over the mound with the bases loaded and gave up a single and two walks for a 7-0 WU lead in the fourth. Kayla Saliga homered down the left-field line to run-rule the Jaguars in the fifth inning for an 8-0 victory.
GRU's Paige Deschaine tossed 3.2 innings, striking out 10 and walking four. Deschaine gave up four hits for five runs (three earned). Freshman Julia Banks recorded 0.1 innings on the mound, giving up one hit and three earned runs. Wingate's Stacey Houser no hit the Jaguars, throwing 5.0 scoreless innings, recording five strikeouts and two walks.
WU's Saliga went 2-for-3 with two runs, Wingfield was 1-for-1 with a solo homer, and Mellena Helms went 1-for-3 with an RBI.
In game two, Wingate started the first inning with a Mellena Helms long ball to left center, followed by a double and single for a 3-0 early advantage off GRU game-two starter Haley Birkle. Banks walked in the second inning and Macy Terry doubled down the right-field line for GRU's first run. Wingfield hit her second bomb of the day, but Brianna Dickens singled for GRU to start the third and changed the momentum.
Brooke Stephens plated Dickens with a single, but WU got two back in the fifth. Stephens wasn't done as she blasted a two-run homer – scoring Mallory Ferguson to trail 6-4. Stephens plated Molly Walton with a sacrifice fly, but one run wasn't enough as the Eagles completed the doubleheader sweep with a 6-5 final.
Taylor Bates got the win in 5.0 innings of work, allowing four runs on six hits while GRU's Haley Birkle took the loss in 6.0 innings pitched. Birkle gave up six runs on six hits and walked three. Brooke Stephens paced the Jags' bats with a 2-for-3 game two, scoring a run with four RBI.
GRU plays at Newberry on Wednesday, Feb. 5 for a 1:00 p.m. doubleheader on the road.
