AMERICUS – The Georgia Southwestern baseball team split a non-conference doubleheader against Wingate University on Saturday afternoon at Hurricane Stadium. GSW rattled off 10 unanswered runs to rally for a 10-9 win in 10 innings in the opener. Wingate withstood a four-run Hurricane rally in Game 2 to salvage a split, 7-4.

GSW’s record stands at 12-27 this spring heading into Sunday’s series finale with Wingate (23-17) at noon.

GAME 1: GSW 10, WINGATE 9 (10 inn.)

It was the story of two halves.

Wingate scored a run in the first inning, two in the second, one in the fourth and five in the fifth to open a 9-0 lead over the Hurricanes. GSW had one hit through the first five innings.

Then came the sixth.

GSW brought 13 batters to the plate during an eight-run frame. Will Redding and Davey King led off the rally with back-to-back singles. The Hurricanes were aided by two Wingate errors before Devyn Newberry slapped a two-run single up the middle to score Josh Tatnall and Zach Barron. Evan Alderman followed with another shot up the middle to plate Brandon Weaver. King walked with the bases loaded in his second trip to the plate in the frame and Paul Sorrow capped the scoring with a two-run single to center.

Sorrow brought home the tying run in the eighth inning with a RBI single to right field.

Kyle Spinks retired Wingate in order in the ninth and tenth innings to set the stage for the Hurricanes heroics in the bottom half of the tenth.

Alderman found his way on with a bunt single to lead off the inning and later scored the game-winning run coming around from second. A failed double play attempt by Wingate where the throw to first went wild allowed Alderman to score.

Newberry led all batters with three hits and added two RBIs and a run. Redding went 2-for-3 with three walks and scored twice. Sorrow finished 2-for-4, scored once and drove in three.

Thomas Spitz, Colby Barnette and Brad Cherry had two hits apiece to lead Wingate.

GSW starting pitcher Earl Dupree pitched the first 4 1/3 innings. Mitch Holloway finished the fifth inning. The tandem of Spinks and Matthew Hubbard followed and was unhittable. Hubbard threw three hitless and scoreless innings to set up Spinks (1-2), who matched his teammate over the final two frames. 

Wingate burned six hurlers in the opener. Starter Jimmy Doolittle threw three innings. Cameron Price (0-1) was charged with the loss after allowing the final two GSW runs over his 3 2/3 innings on the hill.

GAME 2: GSW 4, WINGATE 7 (7 inn.)

After scoring a run in the first inning, Shane Billings helped push the Bulldogs lead to 5-1 with a grand slam in the second.

The Hurricanes looked to make another run at Wingate in the third. GSW brought nine batters to the plate over a five-hit, four-run frame. Brett Burgess, Paul Sorrow and Josh Tatnall collected RBI singles in the inning.

Wingate answered with two insurance runs in the fourth.

Burgess led GSW in Game 2 with two hits.

Billings, Josh Clark and Blake Prince had two-hit performances for Wingate.

Dylan Brown (1-2) started the nightcap for GSW and lasted an inning. Jordan McIlwain pitched four innings, held Wingate to two runs, walked two and struck out three. Michael Ranieri provided two innings of no-hit shutout relief. Ranieri walked two and struck out one.

Starter Brett Morgan lasted 2 2/3 innings for Wingate. Morgan allowed four runs and six hits. Tyler Brown (6-4) shut down the Hurricanes over the final 4 1/3 as he did not surrender a hit and struck out eight of the 13 batters faced.