BASEBALL
 
Wingate, N.C. – After dropping the first game of the series, the Golden Eagles picked up their first ever series victory over the Wingate Bulldogs after going 2-3 on the weekend in North Carolina. Dating back to 2018 when the two teams first met, Charleston was just 1-15 against Wingate.
 
Game 1:
 
The Basics:
Location: Ron Christopher Stadium
Score: UC 4, WU 8
Records: UC 0-1 (0-0 MEC), Wingate 2-2 (0-0 SAC)
 
How it Happened:
The Golden Eagles got on the board early in the Friday evening matchup when leadoff hitter Drew Klaserner reached on an error by the left fielder and reached all the way to third base. Moments later, a costly throwing error by the catcher allowed Klaserner to advance home and score the first run of the evening. Graduate student Austin Dzierwa got the start on the bump for the Golden Eagles and in his first outing of the season sat the opposition down in order to send his team back to the plate.
 
The Golden Eagles managed a two out walk in the top of the second but quickly found themselves back on defense. Dzierwa gave up a leadoff walk, but his veteran defense converted their first double play of the season to clear the bases. Charleston closed out the inning only bringing three Bulldogs to the plate.
 
With two outs in the top of the third, Eric Chartier doubled down the left field line with two outs. Lefty hitter Casey Finck matched his teammate with a double of his own, bringing Chartier home and picking up an RBI. Finck advanced to third on a passed ball and JD Armstrong worked a walk, but the Bulldogs kept the damage to a minimum and worked out of the inning. In the bottom half of the inning, Dzierwa once again saw the minimum and sat Wingate down in order, ending the inning with a strike out looking.
 
In the top of the fourth Charleston sent four batters to the plate but didn't see a runner past first base, heading back out on defense to face the top of the Bulldog lineup. Dzierwa got the leadoff hitter to fly out to center field, but with one out, things started to take a turn. The second batter to the plate sent the second pitch he saw over the wall, cutting the deficit in half, Charleston leading 2-1. The next batter hit an infield single and several pitches later advanced to second on a passed ball. With a runner on second, the cleanup hitter struck out swinging, but there was still more damage to be done. The fifth Bulldog to the plate in the inning took a 2-2 pitch and sent it out of Ron Christopher Stadium, scoring two runs and taking the lead, 3-2. The following batter drew a full count walk and went on to steal second before his teammate sent another ball out of the stadium for the third homerun of the inning and the 5-2 lead. Dzierwa's time on the bump came to a close and Scott Templeton took over in the bottom of the fourth. Templeton came in and collect6ed his first strikeout in a Charleston uniform to close out the inning.
 
The top of the Golden Eagle lineup came to the plate in the top of the inning and sat down in order, sending Wingate back to bat in the bottom in the fifth. With one out, the speedy Bulldog leadoff hitter legged out an infield singled. The next batter up drew a walk before Adams doubled down the right field line scoring both runners. The two runs forced a Golden Eagle pitching change, max Wagar to pitch with his team now trailing 7-2. Wagar got the next two batters out and sent the game to the top of the sixth.
 
The sixth inning was scoreless for both teams, Charleston getting out of the inning after making a pitching change, Joe Simonetta to pitch with one out and one on in the bottom of the sixth.
 
In the top of the seventh, Charleston was once again sat down in order, sending the Bulldogs back to the plate. Owen McMulkin started the seventh inning for Charleston but hit the first two Wingate batters late in their counts to have runners on first and second with no outs. McMulkin got the next batter to lineout to right field, and the following batter to pop up to right field, allowing the runner on second to advance to third. The runner on second stole second to give the Bulldogs second and third with two outs, and a passed ball allowed the runners to advance another bag, the score 8-2 Wingate with a runner on third. After a walk and a pitching change, the Golden Eagles got out of the inning thanks to a Cody Godbold strikeout.
 
The Charleston offense responded in the top of the eighth with a pair of runs. Eric Chartier got things started with a single to left field, followed by a Casey Finck double to give the Golden Eagles two runners on scoring position. With two outs, Hector Carreon-Herrera laced a double down the left field line scoring Chartier and Finck and cutting the deficit, Charleston now trailing 8-4. The Bulldogs posted a threat in the bottom half of the inning, but new pitcher Matt Mills got out of trouble and sent Charleston to the top of the ninth trailing 8-4.
 
Nine-hole hitter Brayden McCallister managed a two out single in the top of the inning, but Charleston could not get the offense going and dropped the first game of the season 8-4 to Wingate.
 
Game 2:
 
The Basics:
Location: Ron Christopher Stadium
Score: UC 8, WU 2
Records: UC 1-1 (0-0 MEC), Wingate 2-3 (0-0 SAC)
 
How it Happened:
The nine-inning game one of Saturday got off to a quick start when the Golden Eagles went to down in order, heading to the field where Owen McNeil got the start on the mound. McNeil faced four batters in the bottom of the first giving up just one hit.
 
JD Armstrong got things started for Charleston in the top of the second with a leadoff double down the right field line. With two outs AJ Karosas singled to right field, easily scoring Armstrong from third for the first run of the contest. In the bottom half of the inning, the Bulldogs worked two, two out walks, but McNeil once again worked his way out of the inning, keeping Wingate off the board.
 
With one out in the top of the third, the top of the Charleston lineup got things started with a Drew Klaserner single, followed by an Eric Chartier double. With runners on second and third, Casey Finck legged out a triple to right field scoring both Klaserner and Chartier. Cleanup hitter JD Armstrong stood in the box next where he worked a full count walk that ended with a wild pitch, allowing Finck to score from third and giving Charleston the 4-0 lead. With the early lead, Charleston made a pitching change to start the bottom of third, sending Tyson Willis to the mound. Willis gave up two hits but with one out and runners on first and second, the Charleston defense turned a double play to get out of the inning unscathed.
 
The fourth inning only say a total of six batters to the plate, quickly sending the game to the fifth inning.
 
In the top of the fifth, Eric Chartier sent a single to left field and JD Armstrong drew another full count walk, but the Golden Eagles were kept off the board and sent back on defense after an inning ending strikeout looking. The first Bulldog to the plate in the bottom half of the inning homered to right field before the next three batters were sat down, Charleston with the 4-1 lead.
 
The Golden Eagles responded in the top of the sixth when McCallister hit a two out triple, scoring Ulrich who reached on an error. McCallister's RBI gave Charleston back the four-run advantage. With Bulldogs on first and second, Charleston made a pitching change and handed Trey Ritchie the ball. Ritchie who took over for Jimmy Breen gave up a double allowing a run to score before striking out the next two batters, Charleston leading 5-2 heading into the top of the sixth.
 
Both teams saw some action on the bases in the seventh but were kept scoreless, heading into the eighth with Charleston still leading 5-2.
 
The Golden Eagles pushed three runs across in the top of inning behind three hits. Evan Ulrich got things started with a one out single followed by a Brayden McCallister double to give Charleston runners on second and third for the top of the lineup. Drew Klaserner kept the offense rolling with an infield single, advancing Ulrich home and McCallister to third. Eric Chartier with a textbook sacrifice fly scored McCallister and gave Charleston the 7-2 lead. Casey Finck followed with a walk and two wild pitches to JD Armstrong allowed Klaserner to score giving the Golden Eagles their eighth run of the afternoon. In the bottom half of the inning, Wingate had their first two batters on after a hit by pitch and a walk, but the Bulldogs could not do anything with the opportunity and ended the inning still trailing by six.
 
The Golden Eagles worked a walk in the top of the ninth but were back out on defense shortly after to try and close out the game. Veteran pitcher Dwayne Sumler took care of business in the bottom half of the inning, collecting the save, Charleston with their first win of the 2024 campaign.
 
Tyson Willis picked up the win for the Golden Eagles while Brayden McCallister had two extra base hits in the contest.
 
Game 3:
 
The Basics:
Location: Ron Christopher Stadium
Score: UC 3, WU 2
Records: UC 2-1 (0-0 MEC), Wingate 2-4 (0-0 SAC)
 
How it Happened:
The final game of the series was a seven inning pitchers dual that came down the final inning.
 
Things got started in the bottom of the first when the Bulldogs scored on a sacrifice fly to center, advancing the leadoff batter home after reaching on a leadoff single.
 
Andrew Gormley for Charleston and Collin McDougall for Wingate would keep the offenses quiet for the next several innings, neither team scoring through the top of the fifth. Heading into the bottom of the fifth, Charleston put the ball into Sophomore Eugene Gay's hand. The first two batters reached on infield singles, runners on first and third for two-hole hitter Michael Dansky. Dansky flew out to right field scoring his teammate from third and giving the Bulldogs the 2-0 lead. Charleston gave the next batter first base on an intentional walk, but it worked out in the Golden Eagles favor as they ended the inning only allowing the one run.
 
The sixth inning was scoreless, putting Charleston's backs against the wall heading into the top of the seventh inning. Challenge accepted as the Golden Eagles got things started with a Hector Carreon-Herrera single followed by a Carter Rust walk. With no outs and runners on first and second, Senior Cody Li was called upon to pinch hit. Li singled to left field scoring Carreon-Herrera and advancing Rust to third for Ulrich who stepped into the box next. Ulrich hit a sac fly to left field, scoring Rust, and allowing Li to take third base. With one out and a runner on third, the speedy McCallister decided to play some small ball and gave Charleston the lead with an infield single that scored Li. Klaserner continued to pass the bat after he singled down the left field line, but the Bulldogs got out of the hot seat after striking out the next two Golden Eagles.
 
With the 3-2 lead, it was up to the Charleston defense and the arm of Max Wagar. Wagar got the first Bulldog to the plate to fly out to right field, but Wingate did not want to go down easy as they string together a pair of singles to put runners on first and third with one out. The next batter up was hit by a pitch, loading the bases for the Bulldogs. Warbird mentality kicked in for Wagar and his defense as he got Ricky Clark to ground into a game ending 5-6-3 double play, Charleston collecting the victory and the series win.
 
Up Next:
Charleston will host Tiffin University for a four-game series set to start on Friday, February 16^th at 4PM at the Welch Athletic Complex.