Bulldogs Drop Heartbreaker On Senior Day
April 12, 2008 | Softball
BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. – The last two seasons have brought about a tremendous rivalry between Gardner-Webb and Stetson, with each side winning contests of epic proportions. On the Bulldogs' Senior Day, however, the visitors were able to come away with a 4-0 win in game one and a 1-0 12-inning victory in game two.
The Bulldogs drop to 16-28 on the year and 3-13 in Atlantic Sun Conference play while the Hatters improve to 33-18 overall and 7-6 in conference competition.
In the first game, Stetson jumped on the board with four runs in the first inning. Amy Joyce led the contest off with a double and scored on Andrea Migliori's single. Migliori, Lindsay Wightman and Blythe Golden came around to score, making the tally 4-0. GWU accounted for two errors in the inning, which in turn allowed one run to come in unearned.
Amanda Lindsey was able to shut down the Bulldogs for a while, allowing just one runner – a walk to Mandy Ward – through the first five innings. Kelly Linsley broke up the no-hit bid with two outs in the sixth with an infield single. However, Melody Harrell was unable to bring her in as she grounded out to the pitcher to end the frame.
Christa Fullwood roped a two-out single down the right field line in the seventh, but Ward's sharply hit ball to third base turned into a game-ending double play.
Lindsey picked up the win for Stetson, moving to 18-11 on the year. She struck out nine while giving up just two hits. Cindy Boomhower took the loss in the contest, allowing just three base runners after the first inning. She falls to 2-7 on the season.
GWU had a chance to take advantage of Erica Demers in game two in its first at bat. After Linsley singled up the middle, she moved to second on Harrell's sacrifice bunt. Jessi Williams and Fullwood each walked to load the bases. However, Lindsey was re-inserted into the line-up and promptly struck out Ward and got Haley Scism to ground out to second base, ending the threat.
The Bulldogs' Christine Murray was on top of her game and was able to keep the Hatters at bay. After retiring the side in order in the first, she got Lindsay Wightman to fly out to Linsley before allowing Golden to single to left. However, she struck out Amanda Bailey and Lindsey to end the second.
The game turned into a pitchers' duel as neither side was able to get anyone in a position to score. In the fourth, Fullwood singled and moved to second on Ward's sacrifice bunt, but GWU's offense was not able to bring her around to score.
Stetson had a chance to score in the fifth, but Murray was able to get pinch hitter Katie Lawrence to pop up to Harrell, who was racing back to the edge of the infield to snag the pop up and end the threat.
In the bottom of the sixth, the Bulldogs got things going as Fullwood singled to short. She was replaced by pinch runner Adrienne Smith, who eventually moved to third after Lindsey gave up back-to-back walks with one out. With the bases loaded, rookie Kelsey Witter smacked a hard hit ball back to Lindsey, who went home to get out Smith. The catcher turned and fired a rocket to first, completing the double play.
With two and two out in the top of the seventh, Amy Joyce drilled a Murray offering to a leaping Harrell, who made a significant catch to get the Bulldogs out of the jam.
Senior Taryn Beck came in for Murray in the top of the eighth inning and easily retired the Stetson hitters in order. At the same time, Lindsey kept the Bulldogs off the base paths as well.
Beck retired the side in order in the ninth and it looked as though GWU would win the contest in its half of the frame. Scism singled off the wall to right center field. Pitcher Alison Coffey came in to pinch run for Scism and moved to third as Angie Walls reached on a throwing error on Walls's sacrifice bunt. Walls then stole second, putting both runners on with nobody out.
Coffey was a little too far off the bag and Golden was able to pick her off as she dove back into third base for the first out. Witter then struck out and pinch hitter Ashley Whitlock grounded out to Lindsey to end the inning.
In the 10th, the international tiebreaker rule came into effect, putting a runner on second base to begin each inning. Katelyn Perna pinch ran for Lindsey and moved to third on Leo Carreno's sacrifice bunt. Amy Peters popped up to Walls for the second out. With the outfield playing shallow, Joyce belted a deep shot to left field that forced Jessi Williams to get on her high horse. Racing back toward the warning track, she turned her back to the plate and snared the ball over her left shoulder before nearly falling to the ground, recording the final out.
GWU loaded the bases in the third and had Lindsay Cox on third with nobody out after Lindsey recorded a wild pitch to start the frame. With two outs, the Hatters intentionally walked Williams before Fullwood drew a walk. However, Lindsey was able to get Ward out via a swinging strikeout.
In the top of the12th, Golden started the inning at second and moved to third on a passed ball. Amanda Bailey was able to hit a deep fly ball to left, plating what turned out to be the winning run, which came across unearned.
In its last at bat, Witter began the inning on second and moved to third on Cox's beautiful sacrifice bunt. Linsley hit a dribbler back to the pitcher and Witter was off toward home at the crack of the bat. Lindsay was able to flip the ball to Golden, who tagged a sliding Witter for the second out. Harrell singled through the right side to keep things going, but the Hatters were able to get the final out of the well-played ball game.
The Bulldogs return to action on April 15 when they make the
trek to Boone, N.C., for a doubleheader against Appalachian State.
Game time is slated to begin at 3 p.m.
| Box Score Game 2 |
| Box Score Game 1 |
