CHARLOTTE, N.C.- The Queens University of Charlotte softball team lost two game to Wingate University Thursday afternoon in Wingate, N.C. The Royals played well, but fell in a close contest 2-1 in the first campaign of the day and fell 7-2 in the second effort.

Game One: Wingate 2, Queens 1

The Royals got on the board first with a run scored by Kari Kmetic (Milwaukie, Ore., Putnam) in the top of the second. Kmetic got on base with a single up the middle, was advance to second with a sacrifice bunt from Brittany Stephens (Charlotte, N.C., Hickory Grove Baptist). A wild pitch gave Kmetic enough time to get to third and a double from Chantel Dodge (Shalimar, Fla., Choctawatchee) drove her home. The single was Stephens fourth of the season, while the RBI was Dodge's third.

The Bulldogs answered in the fourth. First baseman Leyila Myers (Marietta, Ga.) led off the inning with a walk. Three batters later, Debra Grijalva connected on her second homer of the year, a two-run hit to center to put Wingate on top 2-1.

Each team would register two more hits in the contest.

Dodge took the loss for the Royals, allowing two earned runs on six hits in six innings of work. She struck out eight while walking just one. Allison Smith allowed one run on four hits and did not walk a batter in seven innings of work.

Game Two: Wingate 10, Queens 2

Wingate got the offense going early in game two, plating seven runs on six hits in the first inning. Two of the seven runs scored were unearned runs from an error and a wild pitch.

Kmetic again played a part in the Royals first runs of the game. After reaching first from being hit with a pitch, a sacrifice bunt advanced her to second, this time from Dodge. Stephens hit a double to earn her third RBI of the season as Kmetic crossed the plate.  Stephens was able to advance to third on a throw and scored the second run of the game on an error by pitcher Brittany Blankenship. Queens left one on base as the inning closed.

Queens gave up another three runs from four hits in the bottom of the third.

Stephens earns the loss for the Royals while in the circle. She falls to 0-4 on the season. Blankenship earned the win for the Bulldogs and improves to 4-1.

Queens will have one day off before traveling to Atlanta, Ga., to face Spellman. They return home to Park Road Park on Sunday, March 1, at 2pm to play J.C. Smith University. This will be the first home game for the Royals since the season-opening games on Feb. 10.