GWU Scores 3-2 Nine Inning Win over Radford on Sunday
April 03, 2011 | Softball
Boiling Springs, N.C. - Gardner-Webb freshman pitcher Jessica Childers threw all nine innings for the Runnin' Bulldogs, whiles senior outfielder Kelsey Witter provided the game-winning RBI single in the bottom of the ninth to give the Runnin' Bulldogs a 3-2 extra inning win over the Radford Highlanders on Sunday afternoon at Varsity Field in Boiling Springs, N.C.
The extra inning win moves the Runnin' Bulldogs to 10-17 overall and 2-3 in the Big South Conference, while Radford falls to 21-12 and 3-2 in the Big South with the loss. Sunday's win over Radford was GWU's first win over the Highlanders since 2002 and the Runnin' Bulldogs first win over Radford in the last 11 match ups.
The Runnin' Bulldogs took an early 2-0 lead in the first, as freshman infielder Samantha Meenaghan and sophomore shortstop Jordyn Arrowood led off the first inning with back-to-back singles. After back-to-back fielders choices' threatened to end the inning, juniors Lindsea Hutchinson and Jane Savage ripped back-to-back RBI singles to put the home team up early at 2-0.
Radford cut the GWU lead in half in the top of the third, as Lauren Williams lined a triple to right center field and eventually scored on a Kristen Shifflett sacrifice fly to cut the Runnin' Bulldogs lead to one at 2-1.
The Highlanders knotted the score up in the top of the fifth on a GWU throwing error and a Vicki Madden RBI triple to right center, putting the score at 2-2 heading into the bottom of the fifth.
Both teams threatened on numerous occasions over the next two innings, only to have the defenses make solid plays to keep the score tied at 2-2 and send the contest into extra innings.
In the top of the eighth, Radford's Shifflett singled to center to give the Highlanders only its third hit of the game. However, GWU's Childers got the next Radford hitter to fly out to end the inning and leave the score knotted up at 2-2.
After the Runnin' Bulldogs went down in order in the bottom of the eighth, the Highlanders Nichole Beall led off the top of the ninth inning with a single through the left side. On the very next pitch, catcher McKenzie Morenus threw out Beall trying to steal second, killing the Highlanders momentum, as Childers got the next two Highlander hitters out to end the inning.
In the bottom of the ninth, Hutchinson reached on a Radford throwing error and advanced to second with one out. After Savage singled through the left side to put runners on first and third, Witter hit a line drive through the right side of the infield to score pitch runner Jessica Milligan and give the home team the 3-2 extra inning win.
Childers (6-7) picked up her sixth win of the year, as the righty allowed only two runs on four hits and two walks, while striking out three Highlander hitters in nine innings of work.
Radford's Jackie Jenkins (9-1) suffered her first loss of the season, as the righty gave up one run, which was unearned, on five hits over the final 5.2 innings of the contest.
At the plate, Savage was 3-4 with an RBI, while Witter was 2-4 with the game-winning RBI. Morgan Baker was 2-4, while Hutchinson was 1-4 with an RBI on the day.
For Radford, Shifflett was 1-3 with an RBI, while Madden and Williams were both 1-3 with a triple.
Gardner-Webb (10-17, 2-3 Big South) will remain at home to take on the Presbyterian College Blue Hose on Tuesday, April 5th, at 3:30 p.m. in Boiling Springs, N.C.
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| Box Score: Gardner-Webb 3, Radford 2 (9) |
