GWU Drops 8-4 Decision To High Point In Baseball Action Friday
May 08, 2009 | Baseball
BOILING SPRINGS – Gardner-Webb stranded seven men in
scoring position Friday, and High Point scored at least one run in
each of the first six innings to take an 8-4 win over the Diamond
‘Dogs Friday.
The loss was the sixth in a row in league play for Gardner-Webb
(22-22, 10-12 Big South), and dropped the ‘Dogs into seventh
place in the league standings.
High Point (18-25, 10-9 Big South) vaulted into fifth place with
the victory, which was sparked by lefty pitcher R.J. Chlebnikow's
7.2-inning effort on the mound. Chlebnikow tossed 108 pitches,
scattered 10 hits and held the Big South's second-leading offensive
attack at bay for much of the game.
Gardner-Webb took its only lead of the game in the bottom of the
first, erasing an early 1-0 edge by the visitors. Brock Miller led
off with a single and scored on Daniel Cooke's triple off the top
of the fence in centerfield. Cooke later scored on an RBI hit by
Justin Loyd – as the first four batters all reached.
Chlebnikow worked out of the inning without further damage, and
settled in from there.
Twice, in the second and third innings, GWU collected two hits to
put runners at first and second to lead off the respective frames.
Both times, GWU successfully bunted the pair into scoring position.
Both times, Chlebnikow kept the Bulldogs off the board with crafty
work on the mound.
GWU plated a pair in the fourth, with Brock Miller driving in Aaron
Miller and later scoring on an RBI ground ball by Loyd to tie the
game, 4-4. High Point regained the lead in the top of the fifth,
loading the bases on a hit batsman, and taking the lead with
another hit batsman with two outs.
Three straight doubles for the Panthers – by Alfie Wheeler,
Bill Manion and Billy Alvino – in the top of the sixth
effectively put the game away for High Point, with Alvino's shot
down the line plating a pair for a 7-4 lead. High Point added an
insurance run on a wild pitch in the eighth, and Jeremy Berg sat
GWU down in the ninth for his fourth save of the season.
Devin Campbell (3-3) took the loss for GWU in 5.0 innings of work,
allowing five runs (four earned) on five hits, four walks and four
hit batters. Kyle Paeplow came on after the three doubles were
allowed in the sixth – and allowed just one run in 4.0 innings
to close out the game for the ‘Dogs.
GWU did manage 12 hits in the game, but batted just 1-for-13 (.077)
with runners in scoring position on the day.
Aaron Miller made his fourth start in a row at third base, and
finished with a career-high 4-for-4 afternoon at the plate. Brock
Miller (2-for-4, 2B, 2 runs, RBI) and Loyd (2-for-5, 2 RBI) had
multiple hits for the ‘Dogs as well.
High Point had 10 hits in the game, with Alfie Wheeler pacing the
attack. Wheeler went 3-for-5 with four runs scored and three
doubles on the day. Manion and Alvino each had two hits for the
Panthers – as the middle of the HPU order accounted for all
but three of the team's hit total.
The two teams will play Game Two of the weekend series on Saturday
at 3 pm ET on Masters Field – which will also serve as Senior
Day for the Bulldogs' 12 seniors.
