Wingate, N.C.----The Wingate University Bulldogs open the 2021 season this week, traveling to Lander Tuesday for a 4 p.m. start before hosting a four-game SAC series against Queens this weekend. The 'Dogs went 15-6 in the shortened 2020 season, going 7-2 in the SAC while winning five of their last six overall including five straight conference victories.

The Bulldogs have nearly everyone returning from last year's squad. Wingate was picked third in the preseason SAC poll, with Jed Bryant, Hunter Dula and David Nash earning preseason all-conference honors. The 'Dogs were ranked 23rd in the "Perfect Game" preseason top 25 poll. Wingate ranked 16th in the nation with a SAC-best 3.08 ERA last season, while also leading the league in strikeouts per nine innings.

Wingate is ready to get back on the field after not playing a game in over 11 months. "The team's outlook has been good and everyone is in a positive place heading into the season," head coach Jeff Gregory says. "I think that each of them has done a remarkable job handling the challenges that COVID has brought. They have been really good with their academics, following school protocols and trying to keep each other focused on what they need to do. I think that each member of the team is excited about the opportunity to get back on the field together. It has been almost a year since they have been able to be on the field at the same time and I think our freshmen guys are excited about starting their collegiate careers."

"I am pleased with how the preseason has been going," Gregory says. "The guys have been able to get back into the rhythm of daily practices after a long break between semesters. The team has responded to the physical challenges as well as the mental challenges of preseason preparation and have been extremely consistent with everything that we have asked of them so far. We are healthy for the most part, but we do have some guys that are working through some aches and pains that should be coming around soon. Our goals really haven't changed from last year to this year. Yes, we did get off to a good start last season, but that was last year and as I mentioned earlier, it has been almost a year since we have been able to play as a team. I think we want to get back into a good rhythm to start the season and see if we can maintain a consistent high level of play against some really good teams that we play on our schedule."

With so much experience on the roster this year, the Bulldogs have plenty of solid leadership on the squad. "We obviously still have our group of five, but I think a lot of our guys continue to step up as leaders," Gregory says. "A lot of our veteran guys have been really good at challenging one another to get better or be better in a lot of different ways. With us being another year older and having another year to grow as players, each of them have taken on more responsibility of finding ways to make a difference daily. I think that has been a really good effect on our new players as well. It has been a lot of fun for me to watch them at practice each day. I think we are another year older and another year better at understanding who we are. I believe the continued development as people will only help us respond in the right ways when we have to deal with adversity, the challenges of an adjusted schedule, the rigors of COVID and just the normal ups and downs of a college baseball season."

STARTING PITCHERS

The Bulldogs had one of the top staffs in the country last year, despite losing a couple of starters to injury early in the season. "The weekend rotation could feature a lot of guys," Gregory says. "We had to make adjustments during the season last year with our rotation and I think that has only added to the depth of our pitching staff. I am looking at Nash, Tommy McCollum, Brody McCullough, Austin Mitchell, Dula and Mac Callari as being guys that we will rely on to start games for us this year. We do have others that I feel confident in if we need to use them as well."

Nash stepped into the weekend rotation and went 3-0 with a 1.73 ERA in 26 innings, earning preseason All-SAC accolades in 2021. Callari also joined the weekend rotation with success, picking up three wins with a 1.91 ERA and 33 strikeouts in 28 innings.

Dula, McCullough and Mitchell started the 2020 season in the weekend rotation, while the junior McCollum has anchored the bullpen the last two seasons. Dula was 2-1 with a 2.41 ERA and 23 strikeouts in 18 2/3 innings last season. McCullough posted a 3.64 ERA with two wins while strikeout in 26 in 29 2/3 innings. Mitchell piled up 24 strikeouts and just one walk in 21 innings of work. McCollum had a 0.79 ERA in eight appearances, picking up two wins while striking out 17 in 11 innings of work.

BULLPEN

The bullpen also has some good depth after a solid 2020 performance. "The bullpen will consist of those that maybe don't start that week, but I think Austin Johnson, Josh Karklin, Chris Macca, Mitch Farris, and Brett Adams, as well as others could all be factors out of the bullpen," Gregory says.

Johnson posted a 0.96 ERA in five appearances last season, striking out seven in 9 1/3 innings while picking up a win. Karklin returned in the shortened 2020 season after an injury-plagued 2019 season. He had three wins and two saves for the 'Dogs in 2018 with 16 strikeouts in 20 innings. Macca made six appearances out of the bullpen in 2020 with seven strikeouts in seven innings of work, while Farris made one appearance without allowing a hit.

CATCHERS

The Bulldogs have plenty of experience behind the dish in 2021. "Logan McNeely and Bryant will handle the bulk of the catching this season but I really like how Kell Smith and Nate Nygaard have progressed this year so far," Gregory says.

Bryant hit .272 with four homers and 18 RBI last season, adding five doubles while stealing 10 bases in 10 attempts. He connected on 19 homers in 2019, driving in 54 runs while earning All-SAC and All-Region accolades. Bryant earned preseason All-American honors in 2020. McNeely appeared in 18 games in 2020 with a homer, two doubles and eight RBI while hitting .220.

OUTFIELD

"The outfield has a plenty depth as well," Gregory says. "Andrew Motsinger, Bryant, Justin Guy, Ricky Clark, Grayson Chapman are all back and we have been able to take some other guys and move them around out there as well to continue to create options for us throughout the year."

Motsinger hit .317 for the Bulldogs in 2020, ranking second on the team with seven doubles while driving in 11 runs and scoring 12 times. He also stole nine bases in 11 attempts. Guy started 16 games, collecting 12 RBI and scoring 10 runs while stealing four bases in five attempts. Clark hit .275 with three doubles and three homers, ranking second on the team with 19 RBI while scoring 16 runs. Chapman had a homer, three doubles and 11 RBI in 2020, scoring 1 times.

INFIELD

"The infield is essentially the same as last year with the addition of a couple of new guys," Gregory says. "Carson Simpson, McCann Mellett, Dula, Clayton Nestor, Andrew McKay, Michael Dansky, Myles Rohleder are all returners for us that saw time last year. I do like how they have each progressed over the past year along with our other guys."

Mellett was one of the top hitters in the SAC and the region last season, hitting .395 with four homers, nine doubles, 20 RBI and 24 runs scored. He also stole three bases in three attempts. Mellett ranked second in the SAC in doubles, third in slugging percentage, fourth in average, on-base percentage and total bases, fifth in hits and seventh in homers. He was named the SAC and Region Player of the Week in the final week of the 2020 season.

Simpson started 22 games in 2020, hitting .277 with five doubles, 10 RBI and 17 runs scored. Dula had two homers, two triples, three doubles, 12 RBI and 11 runs scored at the dish. McKay had a pair of homers and eight RBI while hitting .292. Dansky hit .333 in eight games, while Rohleder appeared in three contests for the Bulldogs in 2020.

Overall, the Bulldogs have plenty of depth around the field, with plenty of solid experience, along with a mixture of young players looking for some playing time. "As a whole, I like our athleticism, the ability to move guys around on the field and the flexibility that we can have in our line up from game to game," Gregory says.

SCHEDULE

The Bulldogs open the season Tuesday at Lander before hosting a four-game SAC series against Queens Saturday and Sunday. Wingate travels to Newberry for a four-game series the following weekend, before coming back home for a four-game series with LMU. The Bulldogs also have a four-game home series against Catawba, a preseason top-10 team who was picked as the preseason SAC favorite. The SAC Tournament is slated for April 22-26 in Kodak, Tenn.