Newberry, S.C.----The Wingate University Bulldogs opened league play in impressive fashion Friday afternoon, picking up a 5-1 victory at #13 Newberry College in South Atlantic Conference baseball action. Wingate improves to 8-3 overall and 1-0 in the SAC, while the Wolves fall to 11-2 overall and 0-1 in league play.

THOUGHTS FROM JEFF GREGORY

"What a strong start from Callari. We did a good job limiting them offensively today. We got some clutch at-bats in the eighth inning to answer their run in the seventh and extend the lead, then Sawyer was able to close it out for us."

KEY STATS

- Wingate out-hit Newberry 10-6 on the day
- The Wolves had two of the three extra-base hits but the 'Dogs had the lone homer
- Wingate had the only three stolen bases on the day
- Newberry committed three of the four errors
- The Wolves left 10 on base; the 'Dogs stranded nine
- WU pitching had 11 strikeouts and four walks; NC had 15 strikeouts and three walks

KEY BULLDOGS

- Mac Callari allowed just one run in 6 2/3 innings of work
- Sawyer Lee added 2 1/3 shutout innings in relief
- Andrew McKay went three-for-four with a homer, three RBI and two runs scored
- Justin Guy added a hit, RBI and stolen base
- Ricky Clark, Jed Bryant and Logan McNeely each added a run scored

NOTES

- Wingate moves to 47-38 all-time against the Wolves
- The 'Dogs are 24-11 at Newberry
- The Wolves won all four meetings against Wingate last season
- First game against a ranked opponent this season after defeating three ranked teams last year
- Newberry won the 2019 regular season SAC title, going 21-3 in league play
- The Wolves were 29-4 at home over their last two seasons entering Friday's game
- Newberry was 12-0 at home against SAC teams last season
- NC's last home conference loss was against Wingate in 2018, when the 'Dogs took two out of three
- First career start for Callari after making 16 relief appearances
- He has allowed just one run his last two outings, striking out 16 in 12 2/3 innings of work
- First career save for Lee
- First career homer for McKay; career-high three RBI
- Bryant is now seven-for-seven in stolen bases this season; Guy is four-for-four
- As a team, Wingate has 30 stolen bases in 36 attempts this year
- Newberry entered the game with a league-best 1.90 ERA; Wingate was third with a 2.97 ERA

FOURTH INNING

- Bryant drew a lead-off walk, then moved to second on an error
- McKay's first collegiate homer was a two-run, inside-the-park homer to right center to make it 2-0

SIXTH INNING

- Newberry's first threat came in the bottom of the sixth
- An error, hit batsman and single loaded the bases with one out
- Callari got a strikeout and groundout to get out of the frame unscathed

SEVENTH INNING

- A single, sacrifice and walk put runners on the corners for the Wolves
- A Zane Tarrance RBI single got Newberry on the board, making it 2-1
- Lee entered the game and got a strikeout to end the threat, keeping Wingate on top

EIGHTH INNING

- Wingate plated three insurance runs off Newberry All-American reliever Quinton Driggers
- A hit batsman and walk put two on for McKay
- His third RBI of the day was a two-out single up the middle to make it 3-1
- Guy followed with an RBI single to plate McNeely and give the 'Dogs a three-run cushion
- McKay scored on a Newberry error to put the Bulldogs on top 5-1

WRAPUP

- Callari got the win, moving to 2-1 on the season
- He allowed just one run in 6 2/3 innings, striking out seven and walking three
- Lee tossed 2 1/3 shutout innings to earn the save
- He struck out four while allowing just two hits
- Tomas Sorcia Jr. took the loss, falling to 2-1
- He allowed two runs on seven hits in seven innings, striking out 10 and walking two

UP NEXT

- The Bulldogs and Wolves wrap up the three game series with a doubleheader Saturday at 1 p.m.