Hickory, N.C.----Wingate University senior running back Lawrence Pittman (Charlotte, N.C.) rushed 37 times for 127 yards and one touchdown, boosting the Bulldogs to a 22-14 South Atlantic Conference victory over Lenoir-Rhyne University Saturday night at Moretz Stadium. Redshirt senior place kicker Freddy McCollum (Sanford, N.C.) made a career-high three field goals for Wingate (4-0 overall, 2-0 SAC). Lenoir-Rhyne is 1-3 overall and 0-2 in the SAC.
 
GAME INFORMATION
 
Score: Wingate 22, Lenoir-Rhyne 14
Records: Wingate (4-0, 2-0 SAC), Lenoir-Rhyne (1-3, 0-2 SAC)
Location: Moretz Stadium, Hickory, N.C.
 
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
 
-Wingate quarterback James Whitaker completed 13-of-19 passes for 214 yards and one touchdown, a 16-yard connection to wide receiver Malik Bledsoe with 70 seconds left in the second quarter to give the 'Dogs a 10-7 lead at intermission.
-Wingate redshirt freshman cornerback Matthew Ellis-White had a career-high 11 tackles and two pass break-ups for the vistiors.
-Wingate outgained Lenoir-Rhyne by almost 200 yards (434-257).
-Lenoir-Rhyne redshirt freshman wide receiver Demarius Hampton returned six kick-offs for 139 yards. He led both teams with 166 all-purpose yards.
-The Bulldogs won the field possession battle by 12 yards (WU33 to LRU 21) and the time of possession battle (34:08-25:52).
-The two teams combined for 21 penalties as the Bulldogs made 12 for 106 yards. The Bears had nine for 66 markers.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
 
First Quarter
 
Wingate struck first, as McCollum hit a 19-yard field goal at the 4:24 mark to put the visitors up 3-0. The three-pointer concluded a 14-play, 82-yard drive, the longest scoring march (by number of plays) for either team Saturday night. Bulldog senior cornerback Tim Longmire recorded an interception to set up the drive.
 
Second Quarter
 
Lenoir-Rhyne posted 10 second-quarter points to take its only lead of the evening. Bear running back Xzavion Huff concluded a five-play, 68-yard drive with a nine-yard scoring run. The TD followed an interception by LRU defensive back Landon Scott. Place kicker Chase Allbaugh added the PAT to make the tally 7-3 Bears. The Bulldogs answered (on the next possession) with the Whitaker-to-Bledsoe scoring connection to take the lead for good.
 
Third Quarter
 
McCollum's 21-yard field goal wrapped up an eight-play drive and accounted for the only points in the third frame.
 
 
Fourth Quarter
 
Pittman's three-yard TD run finished a 10-play, 83-yard drive to give Wingate a 19-7 advantage. Lenoir-Rhyne responded with an 83-yard movement of its own (six plays), concluding the drive with a one-yard scoring run by running back Nelson Brown. On the next possession, Wingate's McCollum capped his historic individual night with his longest field goal (31 yards) to give the 'Dogs a 22-14 lead.
 
TURNING POINTS
 
McCollum's third field goal and Wingate's subsequent defensive stand as Lenoir-Rhyne moved the ball to the Bulldogs' 24-yard line in the waning moments.
 
NOTABLES
 
-Wingate's AFCA Good Works Team candidate, Pittman posted his 13th career 100-yard rushing game. The 127 yards are a season-high, as the Mallard Creek High School product recorded 120 yards in the Bulldogs' road victory at Fayetteville State.
-For the second week in a row, the Bulldog defense held its opponent to one second-half score. Last week, the score was a Carson-Newman field goal. This week, the tally was an LRU touchdown.
-Lenoir-Rhyne's punter is a 38-year-old Australian, freshman Hayden Burgiel. He had four punts for an average of 32.8 yards Saturday night with two inside the 20-yard line.
-Speaking of punters, Wingate Academic All-America® punter Christopher Birozes punted only once (for 40 yards). He pinned the Bears inside the 20-yard line, the seventh time he has achieved this feat in 2017.
 
QUOTABLES
 
Wingate head coach Joe Reich: "Lenoir-Rhyne is a big, physical team…this was a good match-up for us. We are doing enough to win, but we must put together a complete game. I thought our defense did a phenomenal job tonight…when they give this much effort, we can win with this."
 
"Freddy McCollum is so consistent. He stepped up for us tonight…big time. Lawrence Pittman was our guy tonight. We saw glimpses of his never-say-die attitude…and this was good to see."
 
UP NEXT
 
Wingate has an open date on Saturday, Sept. 30. The Bulldogs host Highway 74 rival UNC Pembroke Saturday, Oct. 7 at 6 p.m. in Irwin Belk Stadium and John R. Martin Field. Lenoir-Rhyne hits the road next Saturday (Sept. 30), visiting Tusculum for a 6 p.m. start.