Runnin' Bulldogs Complete Sweep Of Presbyterian Saturday Afternoon
April 24, 2011 | Baseball
BOILING SPRINGS - Gardner-Webb belted three home runs to take a 9-5
win in the opener of Saturday's doubleheader against Presbyterian,
and got a ninth-inning RBI single from Daniel Merck to take a 6-5
win in the nightcap.
Gardner-Webb (24-13-1, 9-9 Big South) completed the three-game Big South Conference series sweep in the process, and took its fourth game of the season from Presbyterian (18-23, 4-14 Big South).
The 'Dogs took an early 2-0 lead in the opener, as Jake Watts followed a Benji Jackson single with a towering, two-run home run off the roof of the locker room building in right field.
Presbyterian rallied in the top of the second, however, as GWU starter Brandon Boling walked Tyler Hill with one out, then plunked three consecutive batters - the final connecting with Mack Hite with the bases loaded to drive in a run and cut the lead to 2-1. Brad Zebedis then hammered a two-run double off the fence in left to give the Blue Hose a 3-2 lead, with Watts' throw home cutting down Hite for the second out of the frame. Conner Scarborough came on in relief of Boling from there, and retired Tony Micklon to end the inning.
Adam McFarland tied the game on the third pitch he saw in the bottom of the second, hammering a slider off the roof in right to make the score 3-3.
Presbyterian's Nate Horton returned the favor in the top of the third, following a Gabe Grammer double with a two-run home run to right for a 5-3 Blue Hose lead.
Gardner-Webb would take the lead for good in the bottom half of the third, getting singles from Jackson and Daniel Merck and a walk to Watts to put Presbyterian starter Bud Jeter in a bases loaded jam with nobody out. Jeter buckled down to strike out a pair, but left a slider up in the zone for McFarland - and the Boiling Springs, N.C., junior put it over the right field fence for his first grand slam of the season and a 7-5 lead for the hosts.
Gardner-Webb had a chance to blow the game open in the fourth, but PC reliever Steven Richardson stranded the bases loaded with no damage done - and neither team would score again until GWU plated a pair of insurance runs in the eighth.
McFarland led off with a single and moved to third on a Zeke Blanton single to right field. Aaron Miller followed with an RBI single to shortstop to push the lead to 8-5 and Merck reached on an RBI fielder's choice for a 9-5 edge.
Jeff Howell pitched around a walk in the top of the ninth for his fifth save of the season. The Kings Mountain, N.C., junior came on with two runners in scoring position and two outs in the eighth, and struck out Tyler Hill to end that threat.
Gardner-Webb had 14 hits in the game, paced by McFarland (3-for-4, 2 HR, 3 runs, 5 RBI), Jackson (3-for-4, 2 runs), Blanton (3-for-4, run) and Watts (2-for-4, HR, 2 RBI). Scarborough (6-2) picked up the win with 6.0 strong innings of relief, allowing just two runs on three hits with five strikeouts (no walks). Howell worked 1.1 innings for the save.
Presbyterian's eight-hit offensive effort was led by Horton (2-for-4, HR, 2RBI) and Zebedis (2-for-5, 2 RBI). Jeter (4-5) took the loss, allowing seven runs on seven hits in 3.0 innings on the mound.
GAME TWO
With the score tied, 5-5, the bases loaded and one out in the bottom of the ninth, Daniel Merck delivered a walk-off RBI single over a drawn in outfield to lift Gardner-Webb to the 6-5 win.
John Harris led off the ninth with a sharp single to left, and gave way to speedy pinch runner Ryan Allen. Allen moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Matt Sapp, and wound up at third on a passed ball. Aaron Miller drew a walk and Jake Watts was intentionally walked to load the bases for Merck
The Cumming, Ga., senior belted a 1-0 fastball to dead center - well over the head of the PC defense for the game winner.
Gardner-Webb had taken a 5-4 lead in the bottom of the eighth, as Merck singled to lead off that inning and moved to second when the ball was unwisely thrown past the Blue Hose first baseman to the fence. A failed pickoff attempt by Presbyterian starter Jordan Pace wound up in centerfield, allowing Merck to trot to third base with no outs. Scott Coleman then followed with a single to right, giving Gardner-Webb a 5-4 edge. Chandler Knox came in from the bullpen to halt the rally there, however, striking out the next two batters and getting a pop up to shortstop to end the inning.
Presbyterian staged a one-out rally to tie the score in the ninth, getting a double from Gabe Grammer to start that surge. Nate Horton walked and Kyle Galloway was hit by a pitch to load the bases. John Wagner singled to right field to tie the score, but Adam McFarland cut down pinch runner Aaron Preston by a step at second base for an important second out in the inning. Andrew Williams then grounded out to second base, setting up Gardner-Webb's winning rally in the bottom half of the ninth.
Adam Izokovic (2-1) picked up the win, working the eighth and allowing one run on two hits. Kyle Paeplow pitched 5.1 innings in a no-decision start, and the quartet of Andrew Barnett, Erik Heiligenstadt, Brock Wilson and Brett Stackhouse combined for three shutout innings to keep Gardner-Webb in the game.
GWU went up 2-0 in the bottom of the first, getting singles from Matt Sapp and Merck to lead off the inning - and a two-run double from Jake Watts to go in front. Presbyterian got an RBI single from Galloway in the top of the second to get one of those runs back, and took a 4-2 lead on a three-run blast over the left field fence from Brad Zebedis in the top of the fifth - his league-best 10th home run of the season.
Gardner-Webb would go to the long ball itself again in the sixth to tie the score, as Brad Collins smashed a two-run shot off the scoreboard signage in centerfield with two outs to make the score 4-4. Presbyterian left the bases loaded in the top of the seventh, as Wilson worked out of that jam. The Blue Hose stranded two runners in the eighth, getting an infield single and a hit batter with two outs before Stackhouse could retire the side with a pop fly to second base.
Gardner-Webb had 12 hits in the game, with Merck (2-for-5, RBI), Miller (2-for-4, run) and Coleman (2-for-4, RBI) leading the way.
Presbyterian managed 15 hits in the nightcap, and stranded 14 runners. Hite (3-for-5), Micklon (3-for-5), Williams (2-for-6), Grammer (2-for-5) and Wagner (2-for-5) led the way. Knox (3-3) was handed his second relief loss in as many days, allowing one run on two hits with two walks in 1.0 inning of work. Pace scattered 10 hits and allowed four earned runs in 7.1 innings of a no decision start.
Gardner-Webb will play at Furman on Tuesday night at 6:00 pm.
Gardner-Webb (24-13-1, 9-9 Big South) completed the three-game Big South Conference series sweep in the process, and took its fourth game of the season from Presbyterian (18-23, 4-14 Big South).
The 'Dogs took an early 2-0 lead in the opener, as Jake Watts followed a Benji Jackson single with a towering, two-run home run off the roof of the locker room building in right field.
Presbyterian rallied in the top of the second, however, as GWU starter Brandon Boling walked Tyler Hill with one out, then plunked three consecutive batters - the final connecting with Mack Hite with the bases loaded to drive in a run and cut the lead to 2-1. Brad Zebedis then hammered a two-run double off the fence in left to give the Blue Hose a 3-2 lead, with Watts' throw home cutting down Hite for the second out of the frame. Conner Scarborough came on in relief of Boling from there, and retired Tony Micklon to end the inning.
Adam McFarland tied the game on the third pitch he saw in the bottom of the second, hammering a slider off the roof in right to make the score 3-3.
Presbyterian's Nate Horton returned the favor in the top of the third, following a Gabe Grammer double with a two-run home run to right for a 5-3 Blue Hose lead.
Gardner-Webb would take the lead for good in the bottom half of the third, getting singles from Jackson and Daniel Merck and a walk to Watts to put Presbyterian starter Bud Jeter in a bases loaded jam with nobody out. Jeter buckled down to strike out a pair, but left a slider up in the zone for McFarland - and the Boiling Springs, N.C., junior put it over the right field fence for his first grand slam of the season and a 7-5 lead for the hosts.
Gardner-Webb had a chance to blow the game open in the fourth, but PC reliever Steven Richardson stranded the bases loaded with no damage done - and neither team would score again until GWU plated a pair of insurance runs in the eighth.
McFarland led off with a single and moved to third on a Zeke Blanton single to right field. Aaron Miller followed with an RBI single to shortstop to push the lead to 8-5 and Merck reached on an RBI fielder's choice for a 9-5 edge.
Jeff Howell pitched around a walk in the top of the ninth for his fifth save of the season. The Kings Mountain, N.C., junior came on with two runners in scoring position and two outs in the eighth, and struck out Tyler Hill to end that threat.
Gardner-Webb had 14 hits in the game, paced by McFarland (3-for-4, 2 HR, 3 runs, 5 RBI), Jackson (3-for-4, 2 runs), Blanton (3-for-4, run) and Watts (2-for-4, HR, 2 RBI). Scarborough (6-2) picked up the win with 6.0 strong innings of relief, allowing just two runs on three hits with five strikeouts (no walks). Howell worked 1.1 innings for the save.
Presbyterian's eight-hit offensive effort was led by Horton (2-for-4, HR, 2RBI) and Zebedis (2-for-5, 2 RBI). Jeter (4-5) took the loss, allowing seven runs on seven hits in 3.0 innings on the mound.
GAME TWO
With the score tied, 5-5, the bases loaded and one out in the bottom of the ninth, Daniel Merck delivered a walk-off RBI single over a drawn in outfield to lift Gardner-Webb to the 6-5 win.
John Harris led off the ninth with a sharp single to left, and gave way to speedy pinch runner Ryan Allen. Allen moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Matt Sapp, and wound up at third on a passed ball. Aaron Miller drew a walk and Jake Watts was intentionally walked to load the bases for Merck
The Cumming, Ga., senior belted a 1-0 fastball to dead center - well over the head of the PC defense for the game winner.
Gardner-Webb had taken a 5-4 lead in the bottom of the eighth, as Merck singled to lead off that inning and moved to second when the ball was unwisely thrown past the Blue Hose first baseman to the fence. A failed pickoff attempt by Presbyterian starter Jordan Pace wound up in centerfield, allowing Merck to trot to third base with no outs. Scott Coleman then followed with a single to right, giving Gardner-Webb a 5-4 edge. Chandler Knox came in from the bullpen to halt the rally there, however, striking out the next two batters and getting a pop up to shortstop to end the inning.
Presbyterian staged a one-out rally to tie the score in the ninth, getting a double from Gabe Grammer to start that surge. Nate Horton walked and Kyle Galloway was hit by a pitch to load the bases. John Wagner singled to right field to tie the score, but Adam McFarland cut down pinch runner Aaron Preston by a step at second base for an important second out in the inning. Andrew Williams then grounded out to second base, setting up Gardner-Webb's winning rally in the bottom half of the ninth.
Adam Izokovic (2-1) picked up the win, working the eighth and allowing one run on two hits. Kyle Paeplow pitched 5.1 innings in a no-decision start, and the quartet of Andrew Barnett, Erik Heiligenstadt, Brock Wilson and Brett Stackhouse combined for three shutout innings to keep Gardner-Webb in the game.
GWU went up 2-0 in the bottom of the first, getting singles from Matt Sapp and Merck to lead off the inning - and a two-run double from Jake Watts to go in front. Presbyterian got an RBI single from Galloway in the top of the second to get one of those runs back, and took a 4-2 lead on a three-run blast over the left field fence from Brad Zebedis in the top of the fifth - his league-best 10th home run of the season.
Gardner-Webb would go to the long ball itself again in the sixth to tie the score, as Brad Collins smashed a two-run shot off the scoreboard signage in centerfield with two outs to make the score 4-4. Presbyterian left the bases loaded in the top of the seventh, as Wilson worked out of that jam. The Blue Hose stranded two runners in the eighth, getting an infield single and a hit batter with two outs before Stackhouse could retire the side with a pop fly to second base.
Gardner-Webb had 12 hits in the game, with Merck (2-for-5, RBI), Miller (2-for-4, run) and Coleman (2-for-4, RBI) leading the way.
Presbyterian managed 15 hits in the nightcap, and stranded 14 runners. Hite (3-for-5), Micklon (3-for-5), Williams (2-for-6), Grammer (2-for-5) and Wagner (2-for-5) led the way. Knox (3-3) was handed his second relief loss in as many days, allowing one run on two hits with two walks in 1.0 inning of work. Pace scattered 10 hits and allowed four earned runs in 7.1 innings of a no decision start.
Gardner-Webb will play at Furman on Tuesday night at 6:00 pm.
| Box Score (Game 1) |
| Box Score (Game 2) |
No videos available.
