WINGATE, N.C. – Wingate University spoiled University of Charleston's season opener Friday evening at Ron Christopher Stadium, handing the Golden Eagles a 19-6 loss in UC's 2018 debut.
 
THE BASICS

FINAL SCORE        Wingate University 19, University of Charleston 6
 
LOCATION              Wingate, N.C. (Ron Christopher Stadium)
RECORDS                Charleston (0-1); Wingate (8-1)
THE GAME
 
Tied at 6-6 in the bottom of the sixth inning, Wingate erupted for 13 unanswered runs between the sixth and eight innings to run away with a 19-6 victory over the Golden Eagles.  The Bulldogs pounded out 17 hits against five different UC pitchers over the course of the nearly four-hour game.  Charleston's hurlers struggled with their command all night, walking eight Bulldogs and hitting seven other Wingate batters.
 
Charleston fell behind in the first inning 3-0 but a five run second inning put the Golden Eagles on top.  Colton Bauer made the most of his first UC at-bat, driving in a pair of runs on a bases-loaded single to left field.  Austin Hathaway followed with a double to left center that also plated a pair, bringing around Bauer and Ethan Hunt.
 
The Bulldogs retook the lead 6-5, scoring runs in the second, fourth and fifth innings but a Steven Davis solo homerun over the right field fence in the sixth evened the game at 6-6.  It was all Wingate after that, as the Bulldogs scored 13 more runs to give Charleston a 0-1 start to the season.
 
NEXT UP
Charleston and Wingate continue their 3-game weekend series Saturday afternoon with first pitch set for 4:00 p.m. at the Bulldogs' Ron Christopher Stadium.