Catawba Walks Off Wingate in Game 1 of Baseball Championship Series

ROCK HILL, S.C. (TheSAC.com) – The top-seeded Catawba Indians walked off No. 2 seed Wingate, 6-5, in Game 1 of the 2026 South Atlantic Conference Baseball Championship on Friday afternoon (May 8) at McCrary Park in Asheboro, N.C.

Catawba improved to 42-9 overall with the victory, while Wingate fell to 37-17.

Wingate struck first in the top of the opening inning as Tanner McCammon doubled down the left-field line to score Jake Courville and give the Bulldogs a 1-0 lead.

The Indians answered immediately in the bottom half of the inning. Brandon Crabtree and Sam Hunter each singled before Hunter Atkins launched a three-run homer to left center to put Catawba in front, 3-1.

Wingate tied the game in the second inning when Reed Benamati delivered a two-run single to center field, scoring Neil Griffin and Will Farrell.

Catawba regained the lead in the third inning as Crabtree hit a solo home run to right field, making the score 4-3.

The Bulldogs moved back in front in the sixth inning behind Farrell's two-run homer to left center that scored Griffin and gave Wingate a 5-4 advantage.

The Indians answered again in the bottom of the sixth. Hunter Atkins singled to begin the inning and later scored on Nathan Chrismon's sacrifice fly to tie the game at 5-5.

After Seth Sharpe held Wingate scoreless over the final 3.1 innings, Catawba completed the comeback in the bottom of the ninth when Malachi Cloud blasted a walk-off solo homer to center field for the 6-5 victory.

Atkins paced the Indians offensively, finishing 2-for-4 with a home run and three RBIs, while Crabtree added two hits and a homer. Cloud also homered and scored the game-winning run.

McCammon led Wingate with three hits and an RBI, while Farrell went 2-for-4 with a two-run homer. Benamati drove in two runs for the Bulldogs.

Sharpe earned the win in relief to improve to 9-1 on the season after striking out five over 3.1 scoreless innings.