Gaffney, S.C.----Wingate University junior running back Lawrence Pittman (Charlotte, N.C.) totaled 35 carries for 190 yards and four rushing touchdowns as the Bulldogs claimed a 45-26 non-conference road triumph over the Limestone College Saints in NCAA Division II football action at The Reservation. Pittman increases his 2016 scoring total to 14 rushing touchdowns in his third-year campaign.
 
Wingate improves to 4-1 overall on the season. Limestone is now 3-2. The Bulldogs return to action next Saturday in a South Atlantic Conference home showdown against the Tusculum College Pioneers at Irwin Belk Stadium and John R. Martin Field. Kick-off is slated for 1:30 p.m.
 
"This was a great bounce back win for us," Wingate football head coach Joe Reich says. "I thought we played with tremendous intensity and effort. The offensive line was outstanding today."
 
The Bulldogs began the scoring on a 25-yard field goal from senior place kicker and 2016 William V. Campbell Trophy semi-finalist Caleb Baird (Kinston, N.C.) to take an early 3-0 lead with 6:50 left in the first quarter.
 
Wingate sprinted out to a commanding 31-0 advantage in the second quarter on four consecutive scores after Baird's successful field goal attempt. The WU scoring flurry began with a 14-yard rushing touchdown from junior running back Blake Hayes (Greenville, S.C.) to give the 'Dogs a 10-0 lead at the 13:08 mark in the second quarter.
 
Pittman then posted a rushing touchdown from six yards out to make it a 17-0 Wingate advantage with 8:47 in the second quarter. The Bulldogs added more offensive insurance with back-to-back rushing scores from redshirt senior quarterback Kyle Johnson (Hickory, N.C.) and Pittman to keep Wingate in the lead at 31-0 with 5:05 left in the first half of play.
 
A nine-yard touchdown run from Limestone redshirt sophomore running back Ga'Quan Maize (Florence, S.C.) gave the Saints their first points of the game with 1:04 remaining in the second quarter to trim the deficit down to a 31-7. The Bulldogs maintained the 31-7 advantage going into the halftime break.
 
Pittman posted the only offensive points of the third quarter on four-yard rushing touchdown to give the visitors a 38-7 lead with 1:43 remaining in the third. The Limestone Saints attempted to navigate the comeback trail with consecutive scores of their own in the fourth quarter.
 
The Saints' first second half touchdown came on a 13-yard touchdown reception by LC redshirt junior wide receiver D'Anta Fleming (Greer, S.C.) from freshman quarterback Ivan Corbin (Warner Robins, Ga.) to cut the Saints' deficit down to 38-14 at the 14:12 mark in fourth quarter. Fleming then hauled in another touchdown pass from junior quarterback Matthew Harkness (Moncks Corner, S.C.) to make it a 38-20 ballgame with 9:01 left in the final quarter of play.
 
Wingate soon answered on Pittman's fourth rushing touchdown of the game from 10 yards out to extend the Bulldog advantage out to 45-20 with 6:49 in the fourth. With 35 seconds remaining in the contest, Fleming caught his third receiving touchdown on the afternoon from Harkness to trim the Saints deficit down to 45-26. The 'Dogs would hold on for the victory.
 
"Lawrence Pittman was very tough today," Reich says. "Kyle Johnson was also very efficient in the passing game as well. The only negative of this game was inconsistent play from our special teams."
 
Johnson finished eight-of-16 passing on 154 yards through the air. The Hickory High School product also contributed 48 rushing yards to the ground game. Sophomore wide receivers JT Stokes (Juliette, Ga.) and Malik Bledsoe (Culloden, Ga.) each had two receptions for 65 and 32 yards, respectively. Senior wide receiver Jordan Berry (Irmo, S.C.) also contributed two catches for 31 yards for the WU receiving game.
 
Harkness led the Limestone passing game, finishing eight-of-15 for 85 yards and two passing touchdowns. Corbin went five-of-13 for 86 yards and one touchdown through the air to contribute to the Saints dual-quarterback threat. Fleming led the receiving corps with eight catches for 100 yards and three receiving touchdowns in the contest.
 
The Wingate defense forced five turnovers on the afternoon. Freshman defensive back Moryah Johnson (Charlotte, N.C.) led the Bulldog unit with three interceptions along with 17 return yards. His fellow classmate and defensive back Jabbarri Foster (Shelby, N.C.) also contributed an interception. Redshirt sophomore defensive back Cameron Mattison (Charlotte, N.C.) had a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.
 
WU redshirt senior linebacker Mackenzie Battle (Simpsonville, S.C.) and senior defensive lineman Ray Edwards (Sacramento, Calif.) had six tackles each. Edwards also contributed two sacks for a total loss of 12 yards. Battle had one tackle for a loss. Freshman linebacker Elijah Gilmore (Tyrone, Ga.) posted his first career sack for a loss of 10 yards along with contributing four tackles.
 
For the Limestone defense, redshirt sophomore linebacker Raymond Hall (Columbia, S.C.) and redshirt junior linebacker Logan Stoodley (Salisbury, N.C.) each led the Saints with 12 tackles each and three combined tackles for a total loss of seven yards.
 
The Wingate University football team returns to the friendly confines of Irwin Belk Stadium and John R. Martin Field for a key conference match-up against Tusculum College next Saturday. The Pioneers handed the Bulldogs their first loss of the 2015 season in their previous meeting in Greeneville, Tenn. on October 10 in week six of the regular season. The Limestone College Saints hit the road next Saturday for a showdown against the Catawba College Indians from Salisbury. Kickoff is slated for 1:30 p.m.
 
(Wingate University athletic media relations/sports network student assistant Jackson Kaplan contributed this article. A sophomore from Raleigh, Kaplan is a Communication Studies major at Wingate. He is the son of Harrison and Dona Kaplan.)