Tigerville, S.C.----The 16th-ranked Wingate University Bulldogs remained perfect in regional play Saturday night, jumping out to an 8-0 lead en route to a 11-5 victory over #11 Mount Olive on day three of the NCAA Division II Southeast Regionals. Wingate improves to 33-12 overall, advancing to championship Sunday of the regionals. The lone unbeaten team in the regional, the 'Dogs have two shots to win the title Sunday. Mount Olive ends its season at 37-12.

KEY STATS

- Wingate out-hit Mount Olive 12-8
- The Bulldogs had five of the eight extra-base hits; each team had two homers
- Each team left seven on base
- Each team committed an error
- The 'Dogs had the only two stolen bases on the night
- WU pitching struck out 13 and walked four; UMO had six strikeouts and three walks

KEY BULLDOGS

- Logan McNeely went two-for-four with a homer, three RBI and two runs scored
- McCann Mellett was three-for-four with a double, two RBI and two runs scored
- Hunter Dula added a homer and two RBI
- Michael Dansky added an RBI and two runs scored
- Jed Bryant went three-for-five with a triple, RBI and a run scored
- Andrew McKay, Carson Simpson and Justin Guy each added a hit and a run scored
- David Nash went 7 2/3 innings to earn the win, striking out 10
- Sam Broderson went the final 1 1/3 innings, retiring all four batters he faced with three strikeouts

NOTES

- Wingate is making its seventh NCAA Tournament appearance
- Fourth appearance since 2011
- First time the 'Dogs have ever won the first three games of the regional
- The Bulldogs are looking for their first-ever regional championship
- WU moves to 22-31 all-time against Mount Olive; 3-0 this season
- The Bulldogs have outscored the 11th-ranked Trojans 37-13 in three wins this year
- Wingate scored 30 runs in two wins over UMO in the regionals
- The 'Dogs have outscored three top-20 teams 36-15 in the regionals  
- The 'Dogs are now 16-1 when scoring over 10 runs and 28-2 when scoring at least six
- The Bulldogs are 10-1 when hitting multiple homers in a game
- Wingate has now won 10 of its last 11, outscoring opponents 127-40
- WU is 7-1 in postseason play, outscoring the opposition 79-35
- The Bulldogs have scored at least eight runs in 11 of their last 13 games
- McNeely has four hits including three extra-base hits and four RBI his last two games
- Dula has three homers and seven RBI the last two games
- Mellett is 13-for-20 his last five games with four homers, 14 RBI and 12 runs scored
- Fifth three-hit game of the season for Bryant
- 11-game hitting streak for Simpson; 10-for-21 with nine RBI his last six games
- Career-high 10 strikeouts for Nash, who notched his 14th career win
- Broderson has allowed just one run his last 10 innings, striking out 17

SECOND INNING

- Wingate exploded for five runs in the second inning
- Bryant started the frame with a double to right
- Dula followed with a two-run shot to left, his eighth of the year to make it 2-0
- McKay, Simpson and Guy followed with singles to load the bases
- Mellett lined a two-run single to right to make it 4-0
- Dansky followed with a sacrifice fly to plate Guy and put the 'Dogs on top by five

FOURTH INNING

- Mellett was hit by a pitch with two outs, followed by a Dansky walk
- McNeely crushed a three-run shot to left center to give WU an 8-0 lead, his fourth of the year

FIFTH INNING

- A Gunner Tolston RBI single got Mount Olive on the board in the top of the fifth

SIXTH INNING

- Dansky drew a one-out walk, then scored on Bryant's RBI triple to right center to make it 9-1

EIGHTH INNING

- Two-run homers from Aaron Hedgepath and Dusty Baker pulled UMO within four at 9-5
- Mellett lined a one-out double to right center in the bottom of the inning
- McNeely drew a four-pitch walk
- Bryant lined one to left that was dropped by the Mount Olive leftfielder, allowing two runs to score

WRAPUP

- Nash got the win, moving to 7-3 on the year
- He allowed five runs on eight hits in 7 2/3 innings, striking out 10 and walking three
- Nash threw 122 pitches on the night
- Broderson needed just 20 pitches to retire the four he faced, striking out three
- Blake Gipson took the loss, allowing five runs on seven hits in 1 2/3 innings

UP NEXT

- The Bulldogs are back in action Sunday, playing for the region title
- Wingate and Columbus State are the last two teams remaining in the regional
- The 'Dogs have not lost, meaning Columbus State would need to win twice Sunday
- The first game is scheduled to start at 12 p.m.
- If necessary, the second game would get underway at 4 p.m.