Wingate, N.C. – After splitting in their double tilt yesterday afternoon, the Tornados and Wingate Bulldogs played another close contest on the diamond on Sunday afternoon, with the Bulldogs holding off the visiting Tornados to win the rubber game of the three game series, 6-5.

 

The Bulldogs jumped out to a 2-0 lead, pushing across runs in both the third and fourth innings on Tornado starter Ryan Toney, who had cruised through the first two innings of play.

 

In the third Wingate scored on a solo home run by centerfielder Siega-Riz, who sent the ball over the right field fence to put the Bulldogs on the board, while in the fourth, the Bulldogs pushed across a run on a wild pitch taking a 2-0 lead.

 

The Tornados answered the Bulldogs with a four run fifth inning to take their first lead of the game at 4-2.

 

After third-baseman Chris White flied out to center, second-baseman Adam Arrowood started things off with a single through the right side of the infield. Lead-off hitter Luke Lovelace than singled to right field, followed by a Brice Warner single to load the bases. With the bases loaded, senior catcher Seth Corliss stepped up to the plate and hit a bomb that went soaring over the left field fence, a grand slam his first on the season and his team leading third home run on the year.

 

The Bulldogs then scored a run in each of the next three innings, getting three runs on five hits off the BC bullpen to take a 5-4 lead into the eighth inning of play.

 

In the top of the eighth, Mitch Hefner led off the inning with a single to right center. After Stephen Mullis laid down a bunt single both he and Hefner moved up on a wild pitch to BC hitter White, who eventually drew a base-on-balls to load the bases with no outs. After a Wingate pitching change, the Tornados Arrowood then hit a fly ball to right field, scoring Hefner from third to knot the game up at 5-5.

 

In the bottom of the inning, Knowles, who scored the game winning run in Wingate’s 4-3 win yesterday afternoon, hit a solo shot over the left center field wall to give the Bulldogs the 6-5 lead heading into the ninth.

 

Wingate’s Zac Laws (1-0) who put a stop to the Tornado threat in the eighth inning, held the Tornados scoreless in the top of the ninth to get the win for the Bulldogs.

 

BC’s Luke Smithson (0-1) got the loss for the Tornados in relief action, giving up one run on two hits and 1.1 innings of action.

 

At the plate, the Tornados were led by Corliss, who went 1-4 with a grand slam and four RBIs. Fellow senior Luke Lovelace went 3-5 with a double and run scored, while short-stop Mitch Hefner was 1-3 with a sacrifice fly, an RBI and a run scored. Senior Justin Frady was 2-4 on the day.

 

Wingate was lead by Knowles, who went 1-3 with a home run, two RBIs and two runs scored and catcher Hurdle, who was 2-3 with one run scored and one RBI. Siega-Riz was 1-5 with a solo home run.

 

The loss drops BC to 4-4 on the year, while Wingate improves to 5-8 overall.

 

The Tornados will next be in action on Tuesday, February 19, when they will travel to South Carolina to do battle with USC-Aiken. The game will be the Tornados first game under the lights in 2008, as the first pitch is a slated for 6 p.m.

 

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