GWU's Fullwood Homers Twice, as the Lady Bulldogs Split with ETSU on Saturday Afternoon
May 01, 2010 | Softball
Johnson City, Tenn. - Gardner-Webb's Christa Fullwood blasted two home runs in game two, as the Lady Bulldogs wrapped up its 2010 regular season slate with a non-conference double header split at East Tennessee State in Johnson City, Tenn. on Saturday afternoon.
Gardner-Webb's offense sputtered in game one and the Lady Buccaneers got a run late in the game to pick up the 2-1 win, while in game two, Fullwood belted two solo home runs to lead GWU to a 2-1 win and a twin bill split.
With the regular season finale double header split, the Lady Bulldogs head into conference tournament play with a 21-30 overall record and an 8-10 Big South Conference record.
Game 1: East Tennessee State 2, Gardner-Webb 1
Game one saw a pitchers duel, as Gardner-Webb's Christine Murray and East Tennessee State's Darci Gilbert went back and forth, holding both offenses at bay for most of the seven inning contest.
The Lady Bulldogs put two runners on safely in the second, yet had the inning quickly end with a double play and a fly out, while in the top of the third GWU threatened again with runners on second and third and only one out, but failed to push across a run, keeping the score tied at 0-0.
East Tennessee State put a runner on base safely in the bottom of the third, yet failed to score as the next three Lady Buccaneer hitters went down in order to end the inning.
However, in the bottom of the fourth, ETSU left fielder Lucy Schneider lead off the inning with a solo home run to center field to put the home team on top 1-0 after four.
Gardner-Webb's Jane Savage had a one out single in the top of the fifth, attempting to get something started for the Lady Bulldog offense. With one out and Savage on first, senior first-baseman Christa Fullwood lined out to the shortstop, whom doubled up Savage off of first ending GWU's threat.
After Murray pitched out of a jam in the bottom of the fifth to keep the ETSU lead at one, 1-0, Gardner-Webb looked to get its offense going in the top of the sixth, as senior catcher Mandy Ward had a one out single to left and then advanced to second on a wild pitch.
GWU freshman Jessica Milligan then entered the game to pinch run for Ward, as the move paid off for the Lady Bulldogs as Ashley Whitlock hit a ground ball right in front of the plate. The ETSU catcher fielded the ball threw it to first to get Whitlock, yet failed to get back to the plate as Milligan came barreling down the third base line and scored on the play to tie the score up at 1-1.
With the score all tied up at 1-1 heading into the bottom of the sixth, Gardner-Webb junior hurler Cindy Boomhower entered the game to try to hold the home team scoreless and give the Lady Bulldogs a chance to win the game in its final at bat in the seventh.
The lead off batter walked for the Lady Buccaneers and was then moved up to second on a sacrifice bunt, putting the go ahead run in scoring position with only one out. After the next ETSU batter went down on strikes, second-baseman Amy Campbell hit a two-out double to right center to score Trisha Massenzo from second and put the Lady Buccaneers up once more at 2-1.
The Lady Bulldogs' Jordyn Arrowood hit a two out single to the pitcher and then advanced to second on a passed ball in the top of the seventh, representing the tying run in scoring position for Gardner-Webb. However, ETSU's Gilbert got the next GWU hitter to ground out to third, ending the threat and the game, securing ETSU the 2-1 victory.
GWU's Boomhower (7-11) picked up the loss, as she gave up one run on one hit and a walk, while striking out two in one inning of relief work.
While GWU's Murray allowed only one run on three hits over the first five innings of the contest, the win went to East Tennessee State's Gilbert (5-9) as she allowed only one run over five hits, striking out two in the complete game win.
At the plate, Fullwood was 1-3 with a double, while junior Kelsey Witter was 1-1 for the game. GWU's Ward, Savage and Arrowood were all 1-3 with all three hits singles.
For ETSU, Schneider was 1-3 with a home run and an RBI, while Campbell was 1-3 with a double and an RBI.
Game 2: Gardner-Webb 2, East Tennessee State 1
Gardner-Webb got offense from Fullwood and rode the right arm of Boomhower en route to a 2-1 win over East Tennessee State in game two.
The Lady Bulldogs didn't wait long to score in game two, as Fullwood lead off the game with a solo home run to right field, putting the visitors up early 1-0.
Yet the Lady Buccaneers had an answer, as Massenzo delivered an RBI single to right to tie the score up at 1-1 after one inning of play.
East Tennessee State looked to take the lead in the bottom of the second only to have GWU's Boomhower get Schneider to fly out to left field with the bases loaded to end the inning and the home team's scoring threat.
In the top of the third, Gardner-Webb retook the lead at 2-1, as Fullwood blasted her second home run of the game, this time a solo shot over the right center field fence, giving her two home runs in her first two plate appearances of the contest.
GWU's Boomhower got all three ETSU batters to ground out in the third and then struck out the side in the bottom of the fourth, keeping the Lady Bulldogs out in front by one at 2-1.
In the top of the sixth, Gardner-Webb looked to add an insurance run, as Fullwood led off the inning with a walk. Pinch runner Alison Coffey was moved up to second on a McKenzie Morenus sacrifice bunt, however, the senior was stranded at second as the next to GWU batters made outs.
East Tennessee State threatened to score in the bottom of the sixth, as the home team put runners on first and third with two outs on back-to-back GWU errors. Yet, Boomhower, as she had done all game, came up huge for the Lady Bulldogs, striking out the next ETSU batter to end the inning and spoil the Lady Buccaneers scoring attempt.
After the Lady Bulldogs went three-up and three-down in the top of the seventh, the Lady Buccaneers of ETSU got a one out double by Cheniece Cason who then advanced to third on a ground out.
With the tying run on third and two outs, Boomhower struck out the next batter to give Gardner-Webb the 2-1 win.
Boomhower (8-11) picked up the win, as she surrendered only one run on six hits, while striking out eight in the complete game win.
ETSU's Marissa Hardy (4-12) was handed the loss, as she gave up two runs on only two hits, as both were home runs to Fullwood.
Fullwood was the lone Lady Bulldog to get a hit in game two, as the senior was 2-2 with two home runs, two RBIs and a base-on-balls.
Cason led the Lady Buccaneers, as the shortstop was 3-4 with a double and a run scored, while Massenzo was 1-3 with an RBI.
Gardner-Webb will now set its sights on the 2010 Big South Softball Championship Tournament hosted by Coastal Carolina in Conway, S.C. on May 13-15. The tournament, which is double elimination, will have games from Thursday thru Saturday with the championship game taking place on Saturday afternoon. Gardner-Webb has locked in the No. 4 seed and depending on Big South play this weekend, could reach as high as the No. 3 seed if Winthrop were to lose all three games to Coastal Carolina.
###
| Game 1 Box Score: East Tennessee State 2, Gardner-Webb 1 |
| Game 2 Box Score: Gardner-Webb 2, East Tennessee State 1 |
