Merck Steals Home, Izokovic Hurls Six Scoreless In GWU's 5-4 Win Over Charleston Southern
April 25, 2010 | Baseball
CHARLESTON, N.C. - Daniel Merck led off the 10th inning with a walk and later stole home with two outs to lift Gardner-Webb to a dramatic, 5-4, comeback win in the nightcap of Saturday's doubleheader at Charleston Southern.
Gardner-Webb (19-20, 7-8 Big South) captured the series win as well with its second win of the day.
Adam Izokovic (5-2) picked up the relief win, working 6.0 scoreless innings and striking out eight - just hours after picking up his fifth save of the season with a scoreless inning in the opener. Izokovic retired CSU in order in the bottom of the 10th, getting a ground ball and two consecutive strikeouts to finish the job.
Gardner-Webb took a 2-0 lead in the first, as Merck led off the game with a single and scored from second on an RBI knock from Kurt Fulginiti. Ty Boyles then drove in Aaron Miller with an RBI single up the middle.
Charleston Southern rebounded with a pair of unearned runs to tie the game in the bottom half of the first, then went on top 4-2 in the third with a pair of runs.
Gardner-Webb would rally in the sixth, as freshman Brad Collins belted a two-run home run to left center - the first of his college career - to tie the game.
Izokovic kept Charleston Southern off the board from there, stranding Buccaneers in the sixth, seventh and eighth innings. Izokovic fanned a pair of batters in the ninth, although the first of those reached base on a wild pitch. The former Burns (N.C.) High standout recovered, however, getting a double play to send the game to extra innings.
Merck paced Gardner-Webb with a 2-for-3 effort at the plate, as the 'Dogs had just five hits in the game. Nick Chinners went 3-for-4 to lead Charleston Southern's 12-hit effort. The Bucs stranded 11 runners in the game, while GWU left just five on base.
CSU pitcher Alex White hurled 10.0 innings in the game, but was tagged with the loss.
Gardner-Webb will return to North Carolina to host Wofford College on Wednesday night in Forest City. First pitch is set for 6 pm ET at McNair Field.
