ROAD WARRIORS: 'Dogs Post Saturday Sweep At Kennesaw State
May 03, 2008 | Baseball
KENNESAW, Ga. – Gardner-Webb held on for a 6-4 win in
Saturday's opener, and pounded out 16 hits and 11 runs in the
finale for an 11-4 win and its fourth A-Sun road series victory in
a row.
The twinbill started at 3 pm ET Saturday, three hours after
originally scheduled due to heavy morning rains.
A thrilling opener saw GWU (23-25, 14-16 A-Sun) take a 3-0 in the
top of the fourth – as Jamall Kinard hammered a fastball deep
over the scoreboard in centerfield to lead off the frame, despite a
bat that shattered on the picture-perfect swing.
Kennesaw State (25-23, 16-11 A-Sun) cut the lead to 3-1 in the
bottom of the fourth, but GWU starter Webster Beal worked through
the inning masterfully. GWU pushed the lead to 5-1 in the fifth,
getting an RBI groundout from Kinard and a sacrifice fly from
Daniel Cooke to seize control.
Beal continued to cruise through the Owls' batting order, allowing
a run to score in the sixth – but hanging zeroes in the
seventh and eighth as GWU built a 6-2 lead.
Kennesaw State made things interesting in the ninth, with Jace
Whitmer leading off the bottom half with a solo home run to trim
the lead to 6-3. Beal recovered to get two outs quickly – but
saw the Owls get a threat together after a single and a walk.
Reliever Wes Cogdill came on to try and save the game – but
allowed a single to load the bases, and bring the go ahead run to
the plate.
An error allowed KSU to trim the lead to 6-4 but, with the bases
still juiced, Cogdill rolled a ground ball to get the third out and
end the game.
Beal (4-5) got the win, working 8.2 strong innings and allowing
just three earned runs on eight hits (six strikeouts). The
Charlotte, N.C., senior needed only 11 pitches to get through the
first two innings – and threw only 109 innings in his near
complete game.
Cogdill picked up his first save of the season.
GWU rapped out 13 hits, with Justin Loyd pacing the attack by going
3-for-4 at the plate with two runs scored and a pair of RBI.
Jeremiah Lokken (2-for-4), Matt Rizzuto (2-for-4) and Tyler Johnson
(2-for-4) also had multiple hits in the game.
Kennesaw State had nine hits in the game. Whitmer (2-for-4, HR,
RBI) led that effort.
GAME TWO: GWU 11, Kennesaw State 4
Gardner-Webb plated single runs in the first and second, and built
a 5-1 lead after RBI doubles from Bubbie Spake and Jeremiah Lokken
in the top of the fifth.
The hosts cut the lead to 5-4 in the bottom half of the same
inning, with Bucky Smith belting a leadoff home run – and the
final two runs scoring on a double and RBI groundout, before
starter Ben Campbell could work through the damage still in
front.
Jamall Kinard and Daniel Cooke rapped out singles in the sixth
inning to give GWU another scoring opportunity, and Spake smoked
his second double past third base to score Kinard for a 6-4
edge.
Justin Loyd helped put the game away in the seventh, hammering a
three-run bomb to right field, giving the ‘Dogs a 9-4 lead
that seemed to deflate the Kennesaw State dugout. Ty Boyles pushed
the lead to 10-4 with an RBI single in the eighth, and scored later
on a wild pitch for the final margin.
Adam Bullard came on to pitch the final four innings for GWU,
earning his second save of the season with a shutout performance.
The big righty allowed just two hits and fanned one in a strong
outing.
Campbell (2-4) got the win, working 5.0 innings, scattering 10 hits
and allowing four runs. It was the second solid outing in a row for
the junior southpaw, who won seven games for the ‘Dogs a year
ago.
GWU had 16 hits in the game, with Kinard (3-for-5, 3 runs) and
Cooke (3-for-6) leading the way. Spake (2-for-6, 2 2B, 2 RBI),
Boyles (2-for-5, RBI) and Johnson (2-for-5, 3B, RBI) had two hits
apiece for Gardner-Webb.
Freshman Ryan Rodebaugh (2-1) took the loss, allowing five runs in
4.0 innings of work. The Owls had 12 hits, with Ric Bishop going
3-for-4 (three singles) at the plate.
Gardner-Webb will break for exams next week, and will host Norfolk
State on Saturday (5 pm ET) in the first game of a three-game
non-conference series.
