Rome, Ga.----Wingate University sophomore Tanner Kotch (Butler, Pa.) piled up six goals and three assists Saturday afternoon, leading the visiting Bulldogs to an 18-10 victory at Shorter University in NCAA Division II men's lacrosse action. Wingate wins its fourth straight, improving to 5-4 overall. The Hawks fall to 2-6 on the season.

Kotch did his damage on just six shots. The sophomore had three goals and three assists in a win at Young Harris earlier this week. Sophomore Austin Murphy (Orillia, Ontario) added three goals and two assists for the Bulldogs, while junior Ryan Vogrig (Vancouver, B.C.) had three goals and an assist. Senior Cory Schumacher (Gainesville, Va.) contributed a pair of goals for Wingate on Saturday.

A goal from Travis Getz gave Shorter a 2-1 lead at the end of the first. Wingate responded by outscoring the Hawks 5-2 in the second period. Schumacher tied the game at two in the opening minutes. Ben Janes put Shorter back on top, but the 'Dogs answered with three consecutive goals. Sophomore Kevin Norman (Ocala, Fla.) started the flurry to tie the game, while Murphy and Kotch followed with goals to put Wingate on top 5-3. Kotch added a goal 2:19 before halftime to give Wingate a 6-4 advantage at intermission.

The Bulldogs scored the first five goals in the third. Freshman Robert Benjamin (Wantagh, N.Y.) got the scoring started 31 seconds into the half, while Schumacher and Murphy followed with goals. Kotch capped the spurt with back-to-back goals, making it 11-4 with 6:25 left in the third. Shorter scored three consecutive goals, making it 11-7 on a Tyler Schott goal with 1:32 left in the period. Freshman Jeremy Sullivan (Crofton, Md.) scored with six seconds remaining, making it 12-7 heading to the fourth.

Vogrig's goal early in the fourth extended the advantage to six. The Hawks responded with three straight goals, making it 13-10 with Zachery Dirkse's goal at the 8:14 mark. Vogrig scored twice in the next two minutes to push the advantage back to five. Murphy and Kotch added goals 35 seconds apart, while a goal from freshman Brennan Asplen (St. Augustine, Fla.) with 2:58 to go made the final margin 18-10.

The Bulldogs out-shot Shorter 34-21 on the day. Wingate doubled up the Hawks, picking up 24 ground balls compared to just 12 for Shorter. Wingate freshman James Thatcher (East Patchogue, N.Y.) won 20-of-27 face-offs on the day, while sophomore goalie Jacob Ormerod (Lake Mary, Fla.) collected four saves.

Wingate is back in action Wednesday, traveling to Catawba for a 7 p.m. start.