GWU Softball Blows Late Lead to Fall to Liberty 11-8 in Extra Innings
April 16, 2011 | Softball
Boiling Springs, N.C. - After starting the game three hours later than originally scheduled due to rain and wet field conditions, the Runnin' Bulldogs were primed for the win only to blow an 8-1 lead in the seventh inning and eventually suffer an 11-8 extra inning loss to the Liberty Lady Flames on Saturday afternoon at Varsity Field in Boiling Springs, N.C.
The extra inning loss drops Gardner-Webb to 11-22 overall and 3-8 in the Big South; while Liberty improves to 18-18 overall and 8-3 in conference play with the third straight come from behind win over the Runnin' Bulldogs on the weekend.
After recognizing senior outfielder Kelsey Witter on Senior Day prior to the first pitch, Gardner-Webb jumped out to a 2-0 lead by way of a two-run triple to right field off the bat of junior outfielder Jane Savage in the bottom of the first, putting the Runnin' Bulldogs up early.
Liberty answered in the top of the second, as designated player Bridgett Woods singled to center with two outs to plate Jenny Law, who had reached base earlier in the inning by way of a GWU fielding error, and cut the GWU lead to one at 2-1.
Both teams' offenses sputtered over the next two innings until the Runnin' Bulldogs loaded the bases in the bottom of the fourth on a Witter single, a Rachel Jablonski base-on-balls and a Melinda Dulkowski infield bunt single. After the next GWU hitter flied out to left, freshman second-baseman Samantha Meenaghan reached on a fielding error by the Liberty second-baseman to score Witter from third and keep the bases loaded with one out.
The next GWU hitter, Jordyn Arrowood would also reach base safely on a fielding error by the Lady Flames, plating both Jablonski and Dulkowski in the process to push the home team out in front at 5-1 after four innings of play.
Gardner-Webb pushed two runs more runs across in the fifth by way of a Liberty error and a Dulkowski RBI single down the right field line and then added an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth on a Morgan Baker RBI single through the right side to give the Runnin' Bulldogs a huge 8-1 lead going into the seventh.
In the seventh, three outs away from a big conference win, GWU's Jessica Childers gave up a single to Liberty's Kaylee West to lead off the inning. After striking out the next Liberty hitter for the first out of the inning, the Lady Flames Amber DePasquale singled down the left field line to put runners on first and second. Sammi Shivock then flied out to left for the second out, yet moved both runners up into scoring position at second and third.
With two outs in the seventh, Keely McMillon singled to center to score two, which was followed up by an RBI double to right center off the bat of Kelly Strickland to cut the Gardner-Webb lead to four at 8-4.
A GWU error, a pitching change and three straight singles by Liberty pushed across four more runs in the inning for the visiting team to tie the score up at 8-8 and put the pressure back on to the Runnin' Bulldogs heading into the bottom of the seventh.
The Runnin' Bulldogs recorded a two-out single by Jablonski in the bottom of the seventh, but was held scoreless by relief pitcher Tiffani Smith of Liberty to force the game into extra innings.
Liberty's hot bats continued in the eighth, as the Lady Flames posted three runs on four singles, highlighted by a two-run single off the bat of Meredith Crisante, to take its first lead of the game at 11-8.
In the bottom half of the eighth, Gardner-Webb got a two-out single to centerfield by Jordyn Arrowood, but that was all, as Liberty held on to secure the 11-8 come from behind win over the Runnin' Bulldogs.
Liberty's Smith (6-10) picked up the win in relief action, allowing one run on four hits, while striking out one in 2.2 innings of action.
Gardner-Webb's Cindy Boomhower (4-12), who also started and re-entered the game in the seventh, was given the loss, as she surrendered six runs, three of which were earned, on 11 hits, while striking out one in a total of 5.1 innings pitched.
GWU's Witter was 1-2 with a walk and two runs scored, while Dulkowski was 2-4 with an RBI and a run scored. Savage was 1-3 with a triple and two RBIs, while Arrowood was 2-4 with an RBI, a run scored and a stolen base.
For Liberty, Crisante was 2-4 with three RBIs and a run scored, while Law was 2-5 with two RBIs and three runs scored and Strickland was 3-5 with a double, an RBI and a run scored.
Gardner-Webb will look to end its current five-game losing streak this Tuesday night, as the Runnin' Bulldogs will hit the road to do battle with the Winthrop Lady Eagles in Rock Hill, S.C. at 5 p.m.
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| Box Score: Liberty 11, Gardner-Webb 8 (8) |
