Diamond 'Dogs Fall, 2-1, To Jacksonville In Series Opener
April 13, 2007 | Baseball
BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. - Donnie Vickers' two-run home run with
one out in the top of the ninth broke a scoreless tie, and
Jacksonville hung on for a 2-1 win over Gardner-Webb Friday
afternoon.
Gardner-Webb's Webster Beal (1-5) pitched 8.1 scoreless innings in
his first start of the season, but allowed Vickers' long ball on a
1-1 pitch with Mike McAllister on first base.
The Diamond 'Dogs (13-24, 3-10 A-Sun) put up a fight before
falling, as Jeremiah Lokken led off the bottom of the ninth with a
single and scored on Daniel Cooke's triple to trim the lead to 2-1
against JU closer Matt Davis. With Cooke on third and no outs,
Jacksonville's infield played well in, but Davis fanned Josh
Drewery and got the second out when Cooke tried to score on a
ground ball to second base by Justin Loyd.
GWU got a two-out walk from Matt Rizzuto to put the winning run on
board, but pinch hitter Jon Crockett struck out on a 3-2 pitch to
end the game.
Gardner-Webb managed just six hits in the game, collecting four off
of Jacksonville starter Justin Young, who went 7.0 scoreless
innings and struck out three in a no decision. Tim Brown (3-2)
retired GWU in order in the eighth to pick up the win in
relief.
Jacksonville (22-18, 7-6 A-Sun) collected 11 hits in the game, with
Vickers, the teams' catcher, pacing that number with three hits.
Chuck Opachich (2-for-4) and Matt Lopez (2-for-4) added a pair of
hits each.
Cooke went 2-for-4 to lead Gardner-Webb's offensive effort, but the
Bulldogs' struggled again with runners in scoring position. GWU had
a golden opportunity in the third to get on the board with runners
at second and third and no outs, but allowed Young to get off the
hook with no production in that situation.
Both teams will play a doubleheader on Saturday, with Game One's
first pitch set for Noon on Varsity Field.
| BOX SCORE: Jacksonville 2, GWU 1 |
