Diamond 'Dogs Fall At UNC Asheville, 6-5, In 12 Innings
April 22, 2008 | Baseball
ASHEVILLE, N.C. (McCormick Field) – Gardner-Webb's bats
remained cool in late-game situations Tuesday night, as the Diamond
‘Dogs saw a 5-2 lead evaporate in the eighth inning before
falling, 6-5, at UNC Asheville.
Asheville closer Justin Schumer pitched the final 4.0 innings of
scoreless relief, fanning four - then belted a solo home run to
lead off the bottom of the 12th to win the game.
Gardner-Webb (19-21) lost its third game in a row and fell to 0-4
in extra innings this season. GWU has dropped all but two of its 12
games this season that have been decided by two runs or less.
GWU went up early, getting a double from Justin Loyd and a two-out
single from Josh Drewery to take a 1-0 lead in the top of the
second.
Asheville took the lead away with four consecutive two-out hits in
the third – before GWU starter Brett Stackhouse got out of the
pickle down 2-1.
GWU answered in the top of the fourth, getting a leadoff single and
a steal from Daniel Cooke and a long home run to left center by
Bubbie Spake on a 3-2 pitch – putting the visitors on top 3-2.
Loyd followed with a single up the box, moved to second on a failed
pickoff attempt with one out and stood at third after a pair of
walks loaded the bases. Nine hole hitter Tyler Johnson pushed the
lead to 4-2 with a shallow sacrifice fly to left, but Asheville
starter Graham Baughn was able to get out of the jam without
further damage.
Spake made the score 5-2 with two outs in the fifth, hammering a
solo bomb to right center – his 10th of the season –
after a foul ball was dropped by the Asheville first baseman. GWU
followed with two more singles – by Loyd and Jeremiah Lokken
– but stranded those runners.
Asheville got to reliever Ryan Maxa in the seventh, with a single,
a passed ball and a two-out single putting runners at second and
third. Another single that hopped over the glove of GWU shortstop
Tyler Johnson plated both, cutting Gardner-Webb's lead to just 5-4.
Spake then made an inning-ending play, stabbing a line drive in the
hole to preserve GWU's one-run advantage.
Freshman lefty Kyle Paeplow came on to pitch the eighth for GWU,
and hit leadoff batter Beau Zinman to get himself in trouble
quickly. A sacrifice bunt moved Zinman to second and, after the
second out, Asheville tied the game when Kevin Wiedenbacher rolled
a single through the right side. Paeplow recovered to get the third
out, leaving the score tied, 5-5, heading into the ninth.
Asheville closer Justin Schumer mowed down the meat of
Gardner-Webb's order easily in the top of the ninth, getting a
strikeout and two weak ground balls to give the host set of
Bulldogs a chance to win in its last at bat.
Reed Kreiser led off the bottom of the ninth by rolling a single in
the hole at shortstop, and moved into scoring position on a nice
sacrifice bunt. GWU went to the bullpen from there, and Adam
Bullard intentionally walked Schumer to get the double play in
order. Bullard then fanned Danny Baatz and got a ground ball to
send the game to extra innings.
Jeremiah Lokken roped a one-out single in the 10th for GWU, and
pinch runner Jon Ahearn swiped second and third base with two outs.
Gardner-Webb's O.J. McFarland battled hard at the plate, fouling
off four straight pitches, but Schumer fanned the sophomore with a
changeup to strand Ahearn at third.
Bullard used two fine catches on shallow fly balls by Cooke to
cruise through the bottom of the 10th, with the Bulldog left
fielder saving a pair of flares from falling in safely.
Jamall Kinard drew a two-out walk in the top of the 11th, and moved
to third on a sharp single to right field by Cooke – but
Schumer coaxed an infield pop up from Spake on the first pitch to
leave another runner at third.
Bullard retired the heart of UNC Asheville's order – Mattison,
Arrington and Kreiser – in order to send the game to the 12th
inning.
Gardner-Webb went textbook in the top of the 12th, sacrificing Loyd
to second after the third baseman drew a leadoff walk. Schumer
struck out Drewery on five pitches for the second out, and got
McFarland to ground out to give his Bulldogs another chance to walk
off with a win.
Schumer did the job himself, belting a first pitch fastball over
the wall in right to win the game.
The shallow dimensions of McCormick Park came into play on the
shot, with the 30-foot wall in right field just 297 feet from home
plate.
Bullard (2-5) took the loss, working 2.2 innings and allowing just
one run on one hit – the Schumer long ball. Bullard was one of
six pitchers to see action Tuesday for GWU.
Gardner-Webb managed 12 hits, with Justin Loyd going 3-for-4 at the
plate, but stranded 12 runners. Spake went 2-for-6 at the plate
with two home runs and three RBI. Cooke (2-for-6) and Lokken
(2-for-5) also had multiple hits.
Asheville got 13 hits as a team, with Schumer going 4-for-4 at the
plate with two walks, four RBI and two runs scored – in
addition to picking up his first win of the season with 4.0 innings
of two-hit, scoreless relief.
