Total Team Effort Gives Bulldogs Come From Behind 7-4 Victory Over ETSU
May 10, 2007 | Softball
DELAND, Fla. – The Gardner-Webb softball team fell behind early, but used a five-run rally in the fifth inning to pull out a 7-4 victory over the ETSU Lady Bucs in its second game of the Atlantic Sun Championship.
The Bulldogs improve to 34-24-1 on the season and move into the semifinals of the double-elimination tournament at 2-0.
Melody Harrell and Jessi Williams each led the way with two RBIs on the game while Alison Coffey earned the win.
After allowing a run in the top of the first, the Bulldogs battled back to take the lead in their half of the frame. Abbie Looper earned a walk and swiped second. The steal by Looper was her 32nd of the season, tying the school record. Harrell continued her hot hitting by doubling to the gap in right center field, plating Looper. Emily Sherrill slapped one to the shortstop and was safe at first due to a throwing error that allowed Harrell to scamper to third.
Lindsey Whitfield's groundout pushed Sherrill into scoring position. Williams went to the opposite field, driving in Harrell for a 2-1 advantage. The right fielder gunned down Sherrill trying to score and ending the inning.
After getting in a jam in the second thanks in part to an error, Coffey struck out Chenice Cason swinging to end the threat with an ETSU player just 60 feet away from tying the contest.
ETSU scored two runs in the third to take a 3-2 advantage. With only one out and the bases loaded, Coffey got Briana Knight to strike out swinging and was able to get pinch hitter Caitlin Zyskowski to ground out to end the inning.
In the fourth, GWU was able to get runners on first and second with one out, but Joanna Ward flew out to left field and Haley Scism grounded out to second base to end the Bulldog rally.
However, the Bulldogs' bats would not be silent for long. In the fifth, GWU plated five runs to take a 7-3 lead. Kelly Linsley started the inning by beating out a hard hit ball deep in the hole on the left side of the infield. Looper, who seemed to be hurt in the top of the inning, apparently was fine as she tripled to right center field, past a drawn in outfield. With one out, Harrell's groundout allowed Looper to score, giving the home squad a 4-3 lead.
Sherrill drew a walk and scored as Lindsey Whitfield tripled down the right field line. Williams followed it up with a single to right, plating Whitfield. Joanna Ward then reached on an error allowing Williams to move up to second base. Scism lined a single to left, scoring Williams and giving the Bulldogs a little bit of breathing room at 7-3.
ETSU loaded the bases with just one out in the sixth, but Coffey again stepped up, getting two consecutive groundouts to end the inning. However, with the first ball hit on the ground, ETSU scored a run, making the contest 7-4 in favor of the Bulldogs.
Coffey came out of the game after the sixth inning as the GWU defense would try and protected the three run lead. For the game, she gave up four runs on seven hits, but only two of the runs were earned. She also struck out three while walking two.
In the seventh, Angie Walls came in to shut the door. After getting the first batter to groundout to Whitfield, she walked an ETSU player. With one on and one out, Walls forced a pop fly and a strikeout to end the game.
Coffey improves to 9-8 on the season while Walls picked up her first career save. It also marked the first save by any GWU pitcher this year.
The Bulldogs will play Stetson at 1 p.m. tomorrow in the semifinals.
To listen to the Bulldogs' players comments following the games, click on http://www.atlanticsun.org/multimedia/audioclips.asp
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