Bulldogs Drop Regular Season Finale At Liberty
April 29, 2008 | Softball
LYNCHBURG, Va. – The Gardner-Webb softball team dropped its regular season twin bill at Liberty by identical 5-4 scores Tuesday afternoon.
The Bulldogs fall to 21-33 on the season while the Flames improve to 15-37-1.
Senior Kelly Linsley came up big in game one by blasting a three-run bomb in the sixth frame, pulling GWU within one, 5-4. However, the Bulldogs were unable to continue the big inning after a change of pitchers by the home team.
GWU was retired in order in the seventh, ending the game with Liberty winning by the one-run margin.
After neither side could get things going early on as the both pitchers seemed dominant in the early going, the Bulldogs' bats got things going in the fifth inning with a run. With one out, Linsley reached on an error by the pitcher and moved to second on Melody Harrell's frozen rope to left. With two outs, another miscue by the Flames' defense allowed Christa Fullwood to reach base, which prompted Linsley to score unearned. Mandy Ward's deep fly ball put a scare in Liberty, but ended the threat.
In the bottom half of the stanza, the Flames manufactured all five runs by placing hits where the Bulldogs' defense wasn't, while also beating out infield hits. The lone extra base hit that cleared the bases for the home team was a double down the left field line. The last of the five runs was unearned, which turned out to be a big run.
Down to its final six outs, GWU attempted to make a valiant comeback. After both Angie Walls and Haley Scism earned walks, Adrienne Smith's sacrifice bunt allowed each runner to move up 60 feet. With two outs, Linsley jumped all over the offering for a homerun to straight away center field, giving the Bulldogs some life. The three-run bomb pulled GWU within one, 5-4.
However, Liberty changed pitchers and the home team was able to get Harrell to ground out before retiring the side in order in the seventh.
For the game, GWU amassed four runs on four hits while Liberty notched five runs on eight hits. Cindy Boomhower falls to 3-10 on the year with the loss.
In game two, the Bulldogs once again took an early lead. This time, however, it was a three-run spot for senior hurler Taryn Beck.
With one out in the third, Linsley once again was the catalyst to the offense. She walked and swiped second base. Linsley moved to third on Harrell's ground out. Senior Jessi Williams ripped a triple down the right field line for a 1-0 lead. Fullwood then strode to the plate and launched a two-run homerun over the center field fence for the 3-0 lead.
In the fifth, the Bulldogs had a chance to add to their lead, but the Flames' pitching stifled the team after GWU put two runners on base.
Liberty managed to plate a run in the fourth, fifth and sixth
frames to tie the contest.
After neither team scored a run in the seventh, Harrell was placed
on second to start the eighth inning due to the international
tiebreaker rule. Williams then sacrificed her to third. With one
out, the Flames intentionally walked Fullwood to put runners on the
corners. Adrienne Smith pinch ran for Fullwood and advanced to
second. Mandy Ward had a solid base knock down the right field
line, scoring Harrell. Smith tried to score on the plate but was
called out, ending the frame and the Bulldogs' rally.
Liberty tied the game in the bottom of the eighth before winning the contest in the ninth with a single to left field.
For the game, GWU tallied four runs on six hits with an error while the Flames totaled five runs on six hits with an error.
Beck tossed five innings, allowing two runs on three hits. She struck out eight while walking just two but did not factor into the decision. Christine Murray took the loss, dropping to 8-7 on the season. She allowed three runs, one of which was earned while giving up just three hits.
The Bulldogs will attend their final two days of classes before taking their finals and heading back to DeLand, Fla., for the A-Sun Tournament May 8-10.
| Game 2 Box Score |
| Game 1 Box Score |
