WILSON — The UNC Pembroke softball team committed three errors and was held to four hits in the opening game of a doubleheader Wednesday against Barton, as a three-run first inning proved to be the difference as the Bulldogs took a 3-2 victory on Wednesday at Jeffries Field.

BC scored four runs in the bottom of the third inning of the nightcap and held a 6-1 lead heading into the sixth inning, but UNCP would score four runs on four hits in the top of the sixth and then tie the score in the seventh inning with a Marijo Wilkes homer. Barton plated three runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to complete the sweep in extra innings.

The Braves will play their final regular season game on Saturday when they welcome Mount Olive to town. UNCP will honor Mackenzie Collins, Jai Deese, and MaKenna Sibbett for senior day prior to the start of the contest. First pitch of the twinbill is set for noon at the UNCP Softball Field.

Game One

UNC Pembroke put runners on first and second in the first inning of the opener after Deese was hit by a pitch and Marijo Wilkes reached via a fielder’s choice. The Braves got on the board first with an RBI single to left field from Summer Bullard.

Makenzie Cyzick and Gracelyn Massey each drew a walk in the fifth for Barton, but a bases-clearing triple down the left field line from Shelby Shepherd gave Barton a 2-1 lead. An ill-timed fielding error from UNCP scored another Bulldog to cap off the three-run inning.

Bullard and Chloe Locklear each had a hit and an RBI for UNCP. Bullard (8-12) was also the losing pitcher.

Miranda Holmes (18-8) earned the win after striking out 11 Braves in seven innings.

Game Two

Barton’s Kandyce Condrey started the third inning with a leadoff triple and scored on a double down the left field line from Cyzick. Shepherd smacked a double to the left field gap to score Cyzick and Mary Lindsey Harris lit up the scoreboard with a two-run homer over the center-field fence to put Barton on top 5-0.

Kynley Brewer got the top of the sixth inning going with a double to left field and scored on a double from Deese. Marijo Wilkes sent one out of the park over the center field fence for a two-run homer. Summer Bullard drew a four-pitch walk and stood on third after Locklear reached on a fielding error. Emma Eckhart beat out an infield single bunt that would score Bullard to cut the score back to 6-5.

Brewer reached on a seventh-inning fielding error, before Wilkes knotted the game at 7-7 with her second two-run blast of the game.

With the International tiebreaker rule in play, Condrey started the eighth inning at second base and advanced to third with a bunt single from Cyzick. Gracelyn Massey loaded the bases with a four-pitch walk, followed by a five-pitch walk to Shepherd to bring in a run. Mary Lindsey Harris drove in the tying run on a sacrifice fly to right field before Sydney Wade singled to the pitcher drive in the winning run.

Wilkes finished with four RBIs after her two-homer game for UNCP and Eckhart and Brewer each had two RBIs; all three had two hits.

Harris had five RBIs for Barton, Savannah Olson had three hits and one RBI and Shepherd had a double and two RBIs.

Holmes (19-8) and Bullard (8-13) repeated their pitching decisions from game one.