SALISBURY — Catawba’s baseball team won two tough games against rival Wingate on Saturday at Newman Park and stayed in first place in the SAC standings.

Catawba (30-7, 19-4)  took the opener 6-2 behind Craig Brooks (8-1). Brooks didn’t allow a hit until the sixth.

Brooks struck out eight and got relief help in the seventh from Bryan Blanton. Matt Farmakis pitched the eighth, and Ryan McClintock, who earned his sixth save, got the Indians out of a jam in the ninth.

Will Albertson’s 19th homer, a shot he pulled to left, gave Catawba a 1-0 lead in the fourth.

Catawba made it 4-0 in the sixth, taking advantage of walks, including an intentional pass to Albertson. Brooks walked with the bases loaded, Dylan Richardson was struck by a pitch to force in a run, and Chance Bowden hit a sacrifice fly.

T.J. Wharton’s triple and Richardson’s homer gave the Indians two more runs in the eighth.

• Catawba won the second game 7-6. It was scheduled for seven innings. The Indians scored the tying run in the seventh and the winning run in the eighth.

Blake Houston carried the offensive load. The senior leadoff hitter went 3-for-4, homered and drove in three runs. Albertson went 2-for-4.

Connor Johnson started on the mound and worked four innings. Relievers Will Beeson, Farmakis and Sean Grant gave the Indians a chance, and McClintock shut down the Bulldogs in the seventh and eighth.

Catawba trailed 6-5 in the bottom of the seventh but loaded the bases with walks. The tying run scored when Luke Setzer hit into a fielder’s choice.

Catawba scored the winning run when Kyle Smith was hit by a pitch and moved to third on Will Albertson’s single. Smith scored from there on a wild pitch.

 

Game 1

Wingate      000    000    200 —  2   4   1

Catawba     000    103      02x   — 6    5  1

HR — Albertson (19), Richardson (4).

W — Brooks (8-1).  L — Morgan (4-3). S — McClintock (6).

 

Game 2

Wingate    002   031   00   — 6   8    3

Catawba   121    001    11    —  7   8    2

HR —  Barnette (9), Houston (6).

W — McClintock (2-0). L — Dorsey (2-1).