Cassidy Wall two-out RBI single in the 8th inning give the Bears a 2-1 win over Wingate in the Winner’s Bracket of the NCAA Southeast Regional. Faith Carrigan went the distance in the circle as the Alexander Central grad spun a gem in her second career start as Carrigan held No. 17 Wingate to just one earned run in the complete game. The Bears will now move on to the Championship game Saturday at 1pm. The Bears will have to be beaten twice and with one win Bears will punch their ticket into the Super Regional.

Julia Mardigian got the Bears on the board just two batters into the contest as she hit her 7th home run of the season to give the Bears an early 1-0 lead. Wingate got the tying run in the bottom of the fifth with a two-out infield single as the Bulldogs then looked to take the lead in the bottom of the sixth but Carrigan got Alyssa Hall to ground out to escape the threat.

Both pitchers were the story in the game as Carrigan and Wingate’s Raechel Cutcher were dominated as both went the distance and each allowed just seven hits to these high power offenses and just three total runs.

But it was the Bears, who pulled it out with a Wall two-out RBI single in the 8th inning to score the Katelyn Rackard for the game winning run.

video courtesy of Wingate Athletics

For the second straight season Wingate and LR needed extra innings in the regional as the Bears won 3-2 in 9 innings last year. Those two games against the Bulldogs are the only two games that the Bears went into extra innings in their 52 career NCAA games.

The Bears are now 2-3 against Wingate in the NCAA Tournament with a potential of one or two more matchups tomorrow. Wingate will now await the winner of Francis Marion/Carson-Newman at 3:30 Friday with the winner facing the Bears Saturday.

Wood has hit safely in all five NCAA regional tournament in her career. Wall has reached base in 20 straight games with her 2-4 day.

Mardigian’s home run extended the Bears streak to 13 straight games with at least one home run. Carrigan has two complete games and an ERA of just 2.50 in her two postseason starts this season.

The Bears move on to the championship game at 1:00 on Saturday. Bears will await their opponent as Francis Marion, Carson-Newman and Wingate each will battle the rest of Friday to reach Saturday’s championship game.