Wingate, N.C.----The number 16 Wingate University football team bolted to a 21-0 lead and never looked back, earning a 44-20 South Atlantic Conference triumph over Newberry College in Irwin Belk Stadium and John R. Martin Field Saturday night. Wingate (8-0 overall, 5-0 SAC) clinches at least a share of the SAC regular season title with the victory. The Bulldogs are 8-0 for the first time in the school's senior college history. Defending league champion Newbery falls to 4-5 overall and 2-3 in the SAC.
 
GAME INFORMATION
 
Score: #16 Wingate 44, Newberry 20
Records: #16 Wingate (8-0, 5-0 SAC), Newberry (4-5, 2-3 SAC)
Location: Irwin Belk Stadium and John R. Martin Field, Wingate, N.C.
 
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
 
-Wingate senior running back Lawrence Pittman rushed 26 times for 148 yards and two touchdowns, setting a school-record for touchdowns in a career. He has 39 career TDs entering next week's Homecoming game with Limestone College.
-Bulldog redshirt sophomore wide receiver/return specialist BJ Muckelvene scored three touchdowns, including his South Atlantic Conference-leading third punt return for pay dirt.
-Muckelvene returned a punt 85 yards for a first-quarter score, giving the hosts a 21-0 lead with 2:45 left in the first frame. He caught three passes for 124 yards and two TDs. Muckelvene completed his evening with 237 all-purpose yards.
-Wingate redshirt senior linebacker Zack Singleton scored his first career touchdown on a 49-yard interception return in the first quarter.
-Newberry redshirt freshman quarterback Greg Ruff threw two TD passes and rushed for a team-best 95 yards on 11 carries.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
 
First Quarter
 
Wingate strikes first as Lawrence Pittman dives over the pile into the end zone for six. The scoring play is set up by a pass delivered by sophomore quarterback James Whitaker to B.J. Muckelvene for a 58-yard gain. On the next drive, Zack Singleton returns an interception 49 yards for a WU touchdown. Muckelvene takes a punt to the house from 85 yards out for Wingate's third score of the quarter. Newberry sophomore quarterback Nick Jones gets the visitors on the board when he completes a 12-yard TD pass to senior wide receiver Keinan Lewis.
 
Second Quarter 
 
Newberry quarterback Greg Ruff connected with senior wide receiver Wes Jordan for a 27-yard TD for the only score of the second quarter.
 
Third Quarter
 
Whitaker caps off a WU drive by completing a 21-yard TD pass to Muckelvene. Newberry blocked the extra point try by Bulldog redshirt senior place kicker Freddy McCollum, giving McCollum his first miss of the season. Later, Pittman scores from 24 yards on a fourth-and-one play. Ruff hits redshirt freshman running back Chance Walker in the end zone for a 21-yard TD catch to close out the third quarter scoring.
  
Fourth Quarter
 
Wingate redshirt junior quarterback Dylan Williams completes a 45-yard TD pass to Muckelvene early in the fourth quarter. Two defenders were on the coverage, but this did not stop Muckelvene from scoring his third TD of the day. McCollum adds three with a 21-yard field goal to make the final score 44-20 Bulldogs.
 
TURNING POINT
 
First-quarter touchdowns by Pittman, Singleton and Muckelvene gave the Bulldogs a 21-0 advantage they would not relinquish.
 
NOTABLES
 
-Wingate redshirt junior Academic All-America punter Christopher Birozes booted five punts for an average of 40.6 yards. He had three punts inside the 20-yard line.
-Newberry sophomore punter Shea Rodgers punted seven times Saturday, including in his ledger a career-best 70-yard punt in the fourth quarter.
-The Bulldogs tie the lifetime series with the Wolves, thanks to tonight's victory. The two teams have each won 14 games in the 28-game lifetime series.
-Wingate outgained Newberry 461-348 and won the time of possession battle by almost nine minutes (34:19-to-25:41).
-WU redshirt sophomore linebacker Robbie Wallace and Singleton led the hosts with 10 and nine tackles, respectively. Wallace had two QB hurries, one tackle for loss and one forced fumble. Singleton had the aforementioned interception, one fumble recovery and one tackle for loss.
 
QUOTABLES
 
Wingate head coach Joe Reich: "I am very excited for our guys and our program. Our players work very hard and it's nice to see the hard work pay dividends."
 
UP NEXT
 
Wingate hosts Limestone Saturday, Nov. 4 for Homecoming, Senior Day, Sports Hall of Fame and Tailgating for the Troops. Kick-off is slated for 6 p.m. Newberry visits Catawba Saturday, Nov. 4 at 1:30 p.m.