Diamond 'Dogs Lose Late Lead, Fall 6-4, At North Carolina A&T
April 16, 2008 | Baseball
GREENSBORO, N.C. – Gardner-Webb saw a four-run lead
evaporate Wednesday, as North Carolina A&T plated all six of
its runs in the seventh to take a 6-4 win over the Diamond
‘Dogs.
Leading 4-0 heading into the bottom of the seventh, Gardner-Webb
(18-18) saw the wheels fall off of what appeared to be a game in
hand. North Carolina A&T (15-23) sent 11 batters to the plate
in the frame, rapped out five hits and took advantage of two errors
to break in front for good.
Gardner-Webb would not rally, going quietly in the eighth and ninth
as J.P Primus came in to work 2.0 scoreless innings to close the
game.
GWU battled through a pitchers duel early to take a 2-0 lead in the
top of the fifth, as Brock Miller led off by legging out a double
on a ball sliced inside the bag at first, and scored on an RBI
groundout by Daniel Cooke for the first run of the game.
Jamall Kinard drove in Aaron Miller with an infield single for the
second run of the game for GWU.
Brock Miller led off the top of the seventh with a double off the
wall in right center, and quickly moved to third on a wild pitch.
The Aggies got a ground ball to a drawn in infield to keep Miller
at third, but erred on a second ground ball, this time by Aaron
Miller – dropping a ball that allowed Brock Miller out of a
rundown, and saw Aaron Miller reach second base on the fielder's
choice.
Cooke followed by belting a two-run single up the middle, pushing
the Bulldogs' lead to 4-0 and chasing Aggies' starter Marquis Frink
from the game. Cooke promptly swiped second base and third base,
but was stranded by a pair of strikeouts by Aggie reliever Tim
Johnson.
Johnson (6-2), normally a weekend starter, got the win in relief,
working just 0.2 innings. Primus got the save with two strikeouts
and one hit allowed in 2.0 innings.
Michael Lewis (1-1) got the loss in relief, allowing two unearned
runs. Starter Ben Campbell worked 6.0 scoreless in a no decision
for the ‘Dogs, before allowing three hits and four earned in
the decisive seventh inning.
Cooke (2-for-5, 3 steals), Miller (2-for-4, 2 2B) and Justin Loyd
(2-for-4) paced Gardner-Webb on offense.
The Diamond ‘Dogs return home to open an A-Sun series with
Campbell on Friday at 3 pm ET on Varsity Field.
