Diamond 'Dogs Clinch Fifth Place With 10-7 Win At Winthrop Saturday
May 17, 2009 | Baseball
ROCK HILL, S.C.
– Gardner-Webb bolted to a 10-3 lead and rapped out 17 hits
Saturday, and held on for a 10-7 win over second-place Winthrop
Saturday. The win clinched fifth place for the Diamond ‘Dogs
(25-24, 13-14 Big South), who will take on either VMI or Charleston
Southern next Tuesday at 7 pm ET in the first round of the 2009 Big
South Conference Tournament at McCormick Field in Asheville.
Gardner-Webb collected four hits in the top of the first to get
things going, and Kurt Fulginiti drove in Daniel Cooke for a 1-0
lead. Winthrop (32-23, 18-9 Big South) got out of the inning
without further damage, and tied the game in the bottom half on an
RBI ground out. The ‘Dogs plated a pair of runs in the second
inning, with Brock Miller lacing an RBI single and Daniel Cooke
driving a deep sacrifice fly for a 3-1 edge. Winthrop cut the lead
to 3-2 in the fourth, but Gardner-Webb answered with a big rally in
the fifth – plating five runs on Miller had an RBI single for
the fourth run of the game for GWU, and Cooke drove another
sacrifice fly deep for a 5-2 lead. Justin Loyd then hammered his
20th double of the season off the wall in dead center to push the
lead to 7-2 and Fulginiti followed with a double of his own for an
8-2 edge. Winthrop got one run back in the bottom half of the
fifth, but Matt Rizzuto ripped an RBI single in the sixth to get
that tally back for the ‘Dogs – and Aaron Miller hammered
an RBI double in the eighth for a 10-3 edge. The Eagles started
their rally in the bottom of the eighth, getting three-straight
singles to load the bases. A strikeout dampened the rally
momentarily, but a sacrifice fly and RBI single trimmed the lead to
10-5 before reliever Josh White got the ‘Dogs out of the jam
with its lead intact. GWU went quietly in the ninth, but Winthrop
was not finished. Aaron Miller stepped up defensively to stall the
Eagles' charge, starting a spectacular 5-4-3 double play to erase a
leadoff single. Winthrop still pieced together the makings of a
charge, however, getting a solo home run from Chas Crane and an RBI
single from Tyler McBride to trim the lead to 10-7 with two outs.
Redshirt junior Taylor Brooks was called on to end the rally and
did, getting leadoff man Kevin Nolan to fly out to center –
ending the game. Aaron Haynes (2-2) picked up the relief win,
working 2.1 innings out of the bullpen. Jake Watts had a solid
start on the mound, limiting Winthrop to three runs on four hits in
4.0 innings of work in a no decision. Brooks needed only five
pitches to record his first save of the season. The ‘Dogs had
seven players collect at least two hits in a balanced 17-hit
assault. Kurt Fulginiti (3-for-4, 2B, 2 RBI) and Loyd (3-for-5, 2B,
2 RBI) led the way, with Brock Miller (2-for-6, 2 RBI), Ty Boyles
(2-for-5), Aaron Miller (2-for-4, 2B, RBI), Jon Ahearn (2-for-5)
and Matt Rizzuto (2-for-4, RBI) joining the parade. Cooke was
1-for-3 with two sacrifice flies and a stolen base, walk and two
RBI for the ‘Dogs as well. Winthrop collected 10 of their 16
hits in the final 2.2 innings Saturday. Crane led the way, going
3-for-4 with a solo home run. Crane also threw out two men at the
plate from left field. Ken Monteith (3-4) took the loss, allowing
three runs (two earned) on six hits in 2.0 innings.
No videos available.
