Salisbury, N.C.----Wingate University sophomore running back Lawrence Pittman (Charlotte, N.C.) rushed 31 times for 193 yards and two touchdowns as the Bulldogs posted a 17-0 South Atlantic Conference shutout over Catawba College Saturday in Shuford Stadium and Kirkland Field on the Catawba campus.
 
Pittman's carries and rushing yards are career highs, while his two touchdowns equals a career-best total. Wingate improves to 4-0 overall with its 10th shutout in the school's senior college history (and third this season). The Bulldogs are 2-0 in the SAC, giving WU head coach Joe Reich his 50th league victory. Catawba is 2-2 overall and 1-1 in the SAC.

"For us, this was a solid game overall…a great team win," Reich says. "Our defense played phenomenal tonight. The offense hit a rough patch…but (offensive coordinator) Mike Long and his group stuck with the run…and eventually we wore them down."
 
Wingate scored 10 points in the third quarter after a scoreless first half. The Bulldogs added an insurance score in the fourth period. Wingate out-gained the Catawba Indians 318-266 with a season-high 241 yards on the ground. The contest featured 20 punts (10 for each team) with the Bulldogs holding a slight seven-yard edge in the field position battle.
 
The Bulldogs benefited from short fields on both third quarter scoring drives. Wingate moved the ball 47 yards on 12 plays, scoring the game's first points on a 40-yard field goal by junior place kicker Caleb Baird (Kinston, N.C.) with 8:13 to go. The Bulldogs ran six rushing plays and five passing plays on the three-minute march, with Pittman carrying the ball four times for 26 yards. WU redshirt junior quarterback Kyle Johnson (Hickory, N.C.) added an 11-yard rush for a first down.
 
Wingate's first touchdown was the result of a 10-play, 54-yard drive which consumed 3:41 from the game clock. Pittman's fifth (and final) carry of the drive was a one-yard scoring run with 3:21 left in the third frame. The Mallard Creek High School graduate had five rushes for 17 yards on the drive.
 
In addition, redshirt senior running back Mycah Gaylord (High Point, N.C.) had a 12-yard rush on the touchdown drive. Junior wide receiver Jordan Berry (Irmo, S.C.) had a 10-yard rush and a nine-yard pass reception from Johnson. Wingate's signal-caller added a six-yard rush to the TD march.
 
Pittman's 55-yard scamper highlighted Wingate's fourth-quarter scoring drive, as the Bulldogs put together a 72-yard march to pay dirt. The eight-play, almost-four-minute drive (3:56 TOP) was climaxed by Pittman's one-yard TD jaunt with 2:47 left in the fourth quarter. Baird added his second PAT of the night to conclude the scoring.
 
Wingate Academic All-America® senior linebacker Eric Mapoles (Snellville, Ga.) led the Bulldog defense with 10 tackles. Mapoles recorded seven solo stops. True freshman defensive back Tim Longmire (Tallahassee, Fla.) had a season-best six tackles. Redshirt senior linebacker Charlie Hosea (Newhall, Calif.) was one of three Bulldogs with five tackles each. Hosea had a fumble recovery, thanks to redshirt senior defensive back Cornel Cheron's (Miami, Fla.) forced fumble.
 
"We faced a lot of adversity through out the game, but we were focused and continued to hustle and rally to the ball," Mapoles says. "Up front, the defensive line and the linebackers did a great job stopping the run and the defensive backs shut down the passing game. We are a focused (defensive) unit that is playing together as one."
 
Catawba junior linebacker Jamal Lackey (Mocksville, N.C.) had 11 tackles to lead both teams. He added a tackle for loss and a quarterback hurry to his statistical ledger. Senior running back Cary Littlejohn (Columbus, N.C.) led the hosts with 96 rushing yards on 20 carries.
 
Wingate returns home next Saturday, hosting Limestone for a 1:30 p.m. contest. The second-year LC Saints are led by former Bulldog defensive coordinator Bobby James. Catawba hosts Newberry the same day at 1:30 p.m.