WINGATE – The UNC Pembroke baseball team pounded out 10 hits and scored seven times in the first four innings alone as the Braves cruised to a 17-2 victory over region rival Wingate on Wednesday evening at Ron Christopher Stadium.

It is the ninth win in the last 10 outings for UNCP (23-9) who avenged an 11-3 loss to the Bulldogs three weeks ago in Pembroke with the result. The setback marked the fifth-straight loss for Wingate (19-15) who fell to 13-6 at home this season.

Eight players registered multi-hit nights for the Braves, including Stibel Aleman Saba who drove in a pair of runs and scored four times on a 4-for-6 performance at the dish. Justin Dattilo (2-for-6, 2 RBI) and Nolan Pierce (3-for-5, 2 RBI) both hit home runs for the visitors.

All-American Shane Billings (2-for-5) and Tyler Simmons (2-for-4) both tallied a pair of hits to pace the Wingate offense.

Starter Alex Britt (4-1) earned the win for the Braves in a pre-determined pitching rotation after striking out one in two shutout innings. Chris Stewart, Trace Hagler, Hank Simpson and Kyle Ramsey all threw a scoreless inning of relief for the visitors as well. Starter Lane Wildman (1-1) allowed two runs (one earned) on four hits in 1-1/3 innings to take the loss for the Bulldogs. He also struck out one.

UNCP plated lone runs in each of the first two innings, but scored five runs with two outs in the fourth to blow the game wide open. The Braves led 12-2 at the end of the seventh inning, scored twice in the eighth and capped off the offensive fireworks with four more runs in the ninth.

The Black & Gold will step back into Peach Belt Conference play this weekend when they host a three-game set with sixth-ranked and league-leading USC Aiken (26-6, 16-5 PBC). The squads are scheduled to open up the weekend with a 6 p.m. contest on Friday at Sammy Cox Field.