Greenwood, S.C.----The Wingate University Bulldogs went on the road to open the season, picking up an 8-3 victory at Lander University in NCAA Division II baseball action Tuesday afternoon. Wingate improves to 1-0 on the season, while the Bearcats fall to 5-1.

KEY STATS

- Wingate out-hit Lander 9-5 on the day
- The Bulldogs had five of the six extra-base hits
- The Bearcats left 14 on base; the 'Dogs stranded seven
- Wingate had the lone stolen base on the day
- WU committed six of the seven errors in the contest
- Wingate pitching struck out nine and walked eight; Lander had 14 strikeouts and six walks
- The 'Dogs scored runs in five of the nine innings Tuesday afternoon

KEY BULLDOGS

- McCann Mellett went three-for-four with a double, three RBI and two runs scored
- Andrew Motsinger added a hit, RBI and run scored
- Jed Bryant collected a double, stolen base and two runs scored
- Logan McNeely added an RBI and a run scored
- Grayson Chapman contributed a double and RBI
- Gehrig Christopher and Andrew McKay each had a double
- David Nash worked the first 1 2/3 innings without allowing a hit or earned run
- Tommy McCollum got the win with a scoreless inning of work
- Mitch Farris struck out three in 1 1/3 innings
- Hunter Dula had two strikeouts in his inning of work
- Brody McCullough and Austin Mitchell each worked a scoreless frame

NOTES

- Fourth straight season-opening win for the Bulldogs
- Wingate has won six of seven overall dating back to the end of last season
- The Bulldogs are 8-6 all-time against the Bearcats
- Wingate improves to 4-3 at Lander
- The 'Dogs allowed just one earned run after ranking 16th in the nation in ERA last season
- The Bulldogs allowed three earned runs or fewer in 15 of 22 games last season
- McCollum improves to 5-1 in his WU career after going 2-0 last season
- The junior has allowed just one earned run in his last 15 appearances, striking out 26
- Mellett picked up right where he left off after earning SAC and Region Player of the Weeks to cap 2020
- He is 14-for-21 his last five games with four doubles, 11 RBI and seven runs scored
- Mellett has a 10-game hitting streak dating back to last season

FIRST INNING

- Bryant was hit by a pitch to start the game, then stole second
- He scored on Mellett's RBI double to right center to give WU an early 1-0 lead
- Three errors in the bottom of the frame helped Lander score to tie it at one

SECOND INNING

- McKay ripped a one-out double to left, then moved to third on a wild pitch
- He scored on a Motsinger sacrifice fly to put the 'Dogs back on top

FIFTH INNING

- Bryant started things with a one-out double to right
- He scored on Mellett's RBI single to make it 3-1
- Dula and Mellett scored on a Lander error to put the 'Dogs on top by four
- Mason Streater's RBI single in the bottom of the frame made it 5-2

SEVENTH INNING

- Mellett drew a leadoff walk, then went to second on a wild pitch
- He came around to score on a wild pitch to put Wingate back on top by four
- McNeely drew a walk, then went to third on Christopher's double to center
- Chapman's sacrifice fly plated McNeely to make it 7-2
- Another Bulldog error in the bottom of the frame allowed a third Lander run to score

EIGHTH INNING

- Motsinger reached on a one-out single, then went to third on a Carson Simpson single
- Mellett's third hit of the day was an RBI single to right, plating Motsinger to make it 8-3

WRAPUP

- McCollum got the win, moving to 1-0 on the year
- He struck out all three batters he faced in the eighth inning
- Dula followed by striking out two more in the ninth inning without allowing a hit
- Marshall Thompson took the loss, falling to 2-1
- He allowed a run on a hit in one inning of work, striking out two

UP NEXT

- Wingate is at home this weekend, opening SAC play with a four-game series against Queens
- The Bulldogs host a doubleheader Saturday at 1 p.m., then another doubleheader Sunday at 1 p.m.
- Wingate then travels to Newberry for a four-game series the following weekend