Diamond 'Dogs Lose 16-10 Decision Sunday At High Point
May 09, 2010 | Baseball
HIGH POINT, N.C. - Gardner-Webb bolted to a 5-0 lead, but saw High Point pull ahead with a middle innings rally that dropped the Runnin' Bulldogs in a 16-10 decision.
The Runnin' Bulldogs (22-25, 8-13 Big South) fell two games behind the Panthers (24-24, 10-11 Big South) in the league standings, despite rapping out 17 hits in the game. GWU left 15 runners on base, however, and gave up six runs to High Point in the fifth inning to see a 6-2 lead turn into an 8-6 deficit.
High Point added three runs in the sixth, three runs in the seventh and two more in the eighth to pull away. Gardner-Webb loaded the bases in the sixth, eighth and ninth, but produced just four runs from those situations.
A four-run burst for Gardner-Webb in the top of the first appeared to put the 'Dogs in control, and another run in the top of the second chased High Point starter Jared Avidon from the game early. GWU had 10 hits by the third inning, but High Point's bullpen slowed down the pace and kept the 'Dogs off balance the rest of the way.
High Point's Nate Roberts delivered a two-run home run in the fourth and a three-run shot in the sixth to fuel the Panthers' rally in the middle innings, with his second long ball pushing an 8-7 lead to 11-7 in the sixth. A three-run double by Murray White IV in the seventh effectively put the game away.
Jeff Howell (2-3) took the loss, allowing four unearned runs on two hits in 0.2 innings of work. Starter Conner Scarborough did not allow a hit through three innings, and held a 6-2 lead after the fourth. The High Point, N.C., native finished by allowing four runs on four hits in 4.0 innings.
Adam McFarland (3-for-5), Jake Watts (3-for-6) and Benji Jackson (3-for-4) paced Gardner-Webb's 17-hit offense, while Kurt Fulginiti (2-for-4), Aaron Miller (2-for-5, 2 2B) and O.J. McFarland (2-for-5) added two hits apiece.
Kyle Starnes (3-1) picked up the relief win, pitching around five walks and seven hits to allow just two runs in 4.0 innings of work. Roberts (2-for-4, 2 HR, 5 RBI) and Drew Geissinger (3-for-5, 2 2B, 2 RBI) paced the Panthers' offense.
Gardner-Webb will break for exams until hosting Radford on Friday night at Russell C. King Stadium in Spartanburg,S.C.
