VIDEO | Brody McCullough Interview 
VIDEO | Jeff Gregory Interview

Cary, N.C.----Wingate University redshirt sophomore right-hander Brody McCullough struck out nine in eight innings of work Tuesday afternoon, leading the 16th-ranked Bulldogs to their first-ever victory at the NCAA Division II baseball national championships as Wingate took down #14 Southern New Hampshire 3-2. Wingate improves to 35-13 overall, surviving to play another game Wednesday afternoon. The Penmen end their season at 28-9.

KEY STATS

- Southern New Hampshire out-hit Wingate 9-8
- The Penmen had two of the three extra-base hits and the lone homer
- SNHU left eight on base; the Bulldogs stranded seven
- Wingate had the only two errors in the contest
- The 'Dogs had the only stolen base; each team was caught stealing once
- WU pitching struck out 11 without a walk; SNHU had 10 strikeouts and two walks

KEY BULLDOGS

- Logan McNeely was three-for-four with a double, RBI and run scored
- He is five-for-seven in two games in the World Series
- Jed Bryant and Justin Guy each added a hit and an RBI for the 'Dogs
- McCann Mellett and Hunter Dula each collected a hit and scored a run
- Dula also had a stolen base
- McCullough worked into the ninth, throwing 121 pitches
- Austin Johnson got the final two outs to earn the save

FIFTH INNING

- Wingate broke up a scoreless tie in the fifth with a pair of runs
- Mellett started it with a single up the middle
- McNeely followed with an RBI double to center to plate Mellett
- Bryant followed by lining an RBI single to left center to make it 2-0

NINTH INNING

- Dula drew a lead-off walk, then went to second on an Andrew McKay sacrifice
- He scored on Guy's two-out RBI single through the left side to make it 3-0
- A leadoff double that landed on the left field line started the bottom of the ninth
- That was the final pitch of the afternoon for McCullough
- Cam Caraher connected on a two-run homer to make it a one-run game
- Johnson came in and got a strikeout and groundout to end it

WRAPUP

- McCullough got the win, moving to 7-2 overall
- He struck out nine without walking a batter, allowing a run on eight hits in eight innings
- The All-American did not allow an extra-base hit until the bottom of the ninth
- Johnson retired both batters he faced to notch his second save of the season
- Alex Gomes took the loss, falling to 6-1
- He allowed two runs on seven hits in six innings, striking out eight and walking one

UP NEXT

- Wingate is back in action Wednesday
- The Bulldogs face the loser of Tuesday night's Seton Hill vs. Angelo State contest
- That elimination contest will take place Wednesday at 2 p.m.