For the second straight week, Delaware State called on Peter Gaertner for a last-second game-winning field goal, and once again the German-born kicker came through. Gaertner nailed a 36-yard field goal as time expired to give the Hornets a dramatic come-from-behind 23-20 win over Winston-Salem State to the heartbreak of 15,432 homecoming fans at Bowman Gray Stadium Saturday.

Delaware State trailed 20-12 before scoring 11 points in the last 5:31 to win its sixth straight. Last week, Gaertner hit a 38-yard field goal with 2.6 seconds left to give the Hornets a 17-16 win over South Carolina State. The loss snapped a three-game win streak for the Rams, who fell to 5-4.

A six-yard fumble return for a touchdown by William Hayes gave Winston-Salem a 20-12 lead with 8:11 left in the third quarter. The Hornets used a long fourth quarter drive to get back into the game. Chris Strother capped off the 13-play, 86-yard drive with a two-yard run to pull the Hornets to within 20-18 with 5:31 left to play. Quarterback Vashon Winton’s two-point run evened the score. Winton completed four-of-six passes for 52 yards during the drive.

After holding Winston-Salem State without a first down on the ensuing possession, the Hornets started the game-winning drive on their own 23. Strother rushed for 25 yards on the first two plays to put the ball on the DSU 48. After a holding penalty momentarily stalled the drive, Winton completed a 16-yard pass to Shaheer McBride and rushed for 20 yards on two carries to put the ball at the Winston-Salem 20. After a running play and a time out by the Rams, Gaertner was mobbed by his teammates after sailing the ball through the uprights from the middle of the field.

Winston-Salem State scored first on a touchdown drive on the game’s first possession. Quarterback Monte Purvis capped off the 11-play, 64-yard drive with a four-yard run. The extra point attempt was blocked by Delaware State’s Francis Adjei.

Gaertner kicked a 25-yard field goal in the first quarter and a 22-yarder in the second quarter to make it a 6-6 game.

A botched punt attempt by Winston-Salem gave Delaware State the ball at the Rams’ 20 early in the second quarter. Two plays later, Winton connected with McBride on an 18-yard scoring pass to give the Hornets a 12-6 lead with 11:31 left in the second quarter. A two-point pass after the touchdown was incomplete. McBride had a career-high 10 catches for 91 yards. He now has 32 career touchdown receptions, one shy of the school record held by John Taylor (1982-85).

Delaware State’s first turnover led to a go-ahead touchdown by Winston-Salem. Five plays after Hayes recovered a fumble on a sack of Winton, Jed Bines scored on a one-yard run to give the Rams a 13-12 lead with 9:06 left in the third quarter.