Runnin' Bulldogs Drop 3-2 Decision Sunday In Rubber Match With Liberty
May 15, 2011 | Baseball
BOILING SPRINGS - Gardner-Webb got the winning run to second
base with two outs in the ninth, but Liberty escaped with a 3-2 win
to take the series rubber match Sunday afternoon at John Henry Moss
Stadium / Bill Masters Field.
The Runnin' Bulldogs (29-19-1, 13-11 Big South) enter the final weekend of the Big South regular season tied with Winthrop for fourth place in the league standings. Gardner-Webb and Winthrop play a three-game series beginning on Thursday at 6:00 pm in Rock Hill, S.C. The two teams are one game behind Charleston Southern for third place in the standings.
Gardner-Webb will host Western Carolina on Tuesday, May 17, at 6:00 pm in a non-conference game before heading down to Rock Hill.
Liberty (31-20, 17-7 Big South) took the early lead Sunday, with a leadoff triple by Ian Parmley followed by a single through the right side by Michael Robertson to give the Flames a very quick, 1-0, lead in the first. Gardner-Webb starter Kyle Paeplow regrouped and got out of the inning without further damage, getting a double play and a strikeout.
Benji Jackson hit the first pitch he saw to the fence in centerfield for a leadoff double in the bottom of the first and scored on an RBI groundout from Jake Watts to tie the score. Dusty Quattlebaum coaxed a two-out walk, and Aaron Miller legged out a bunt single - but Liberty starter Keegan Linza got out of the inning when Adam McFarland's line drive to left was snagged.
A pair of two-out singles gave Liberty a 2-1 lead in the second, with Austin Taylor roping a line drive into center field and scoring on a single by Zack Haley. A costly error in the top of the fifth by Gardner-Webb gave the Flames another run. With two men on and one out, a routine double play ball was bobbled, with the fielder's choice loading the bases. Matt Williams then plated Haley with a deep sacrifice fly for a 3-1 lead before Paeplow could work out of the inning.
Gardner-Webb hit the ball hard through the first five innings, but could not get rolling, with five line-drive outs by the Runnin' Bulldogs through the first five frames.
Liberty collected back-to-back one out singles in the sixth, with Ryan Cordell and Casey Rasmus reaching base and chasing Paeplow from the game. Rasmus stole second base to put both men in scoring position, but relief ace Jeff Howell came on to strike out Taylor and get a fly ball to end the inning.
Gardner-Webb had the go-ahead run at the plate with one out in the eighth, after back-to-back singles by Zeke Blanton and Benji Jackson put men on the corners, but reliever Garrett Baker came on and got Merck to ground into an inning-ending double play to thwart the potential rally.
The 'Dogs pitched out of a potential jam in the top of the ninth, getting a great defensive play at shortstop by Miller to end the inning and strand two runners, keeping the margin at two runs going into their final at bat.
Gardner-Webb mounted a rally, with Watts leading off the ninth with a single and Miller reaching on an error at third base. Pinch hitter Danny Yelverton drove in Watts with a two-out single to center to trim the lead to 3-2, and Miller moved to third base on the play. Yelverton stole second on a 1-2 pitch to Scott Coleman, putting the winning run in scoring position, but Liberty second baseman Haley gloved a Coleman grounder and made the throw in time to end the game.
Linza (9-3) picked up the win, working 7.1 innings, striking out four and allowing just one run on seven hits. Dane Beakler came on to retire Coleman for his third save of the season.
Paeplow (3-3) took the hard-luck loss, despite allowing just two earned runs in 5.1 innings of work with four strikeouts. Howell (3.0 IP), Brett Stackhouse (0.1 IP) and Adam Izokovic (0.1) kept the 'Dogs in the game, combining for 3.2 hitless, scoreless innings out of the pen.
Gardner-Webb outhit the Flames 9-8, but had six line drive outs in the game overall. Jackson (2-for-4, 2B, run) and Merck (2-for-4) paced the offense for the Runnin' Bulldogs. Liberty was led at the plate by Parmley (2-for-4, 3B, run) and Haley (2-for-3, run, RBI).
The one-run loss was the first for Gardner-Webb since March 25 against High Point. GWU had won seven in a row in one-run decisions, and is now 11-3 on the year in those games.
Gardner-Webb will host Western Carolina on Tuesday at 6:00 pm. For ticket information call Gardner-Webb athletics at (704) 406-4340.
The Runnin' Bulldogs (29-19-1, 13-11 Big South) enter the final weekend of the Big South regular season tied with Winthrop for fourth place in the league standings. Gardner-Webb and Winthrop play a three-game series beginning on Thursday at 6:00 pm in Rock Hill, S.C. The two teams are one game behind Charleston Southern for third place in the standings.
Gardner-Webb will host Western Carolina on Tuesday, May 17, at 6:00 pm in a non-conference game before heading down to Rock Hill.
Liberty (31-20, 17-7 Big South) took the early lead Sunday, with a leadoff triple by Ian Parmley followed by a single through the right side by Michael Robertson to give the Flames a very quick, 1-0, lead in the first. Gardner-Webb starter Kyle Paeplow regrouped and got out of the inning without further damage, getting a double play and a strikeout.
Benji Jackson hit the first pitch he saw to the fence in centerfield for a leadoff double in the bottom of the first and scored on an RBI groundout from Jake Watts to tie the score. Dusty Quattlebaum coaxed a two-out walk, and Aaron Miller legged out a bunt single - but Liberty starter Keegan Linza got out of the inning when Adam McFarland's line drive to left was snagged.
A pair of two-out singles gave Liberty a 2-1 lead in the second, with Austin Taylor roping a line drive into center field and scoring on a single by Zack Haley. A costly error in the top of the fifth by Gardner-Webb gave the Flames another run. With two men on and one out, a routine double play ball was bobbled, with the fielder's choice loading the bases. Matt Williams then plated Haley with a deep sacrifice fly for a 3-1 lead before Paeplow could work out of the inning.
Gardner-Webb hit the ball hard through the first five innings, but could not get rolling, with five line-drive outs by the Runnin' Bulldogs through the first five frames.
Liberty collected back-to-back one out singles in the sixth, with Ryan Cordell and Casey Rasmus reaching base and chasing Paeplow from the game. Rasmus stole second base to put both men in scoring position, but relief ace Jeff Howell came on to strike out Taylor and get a fly ball to end the inning.
Gardner-Webb had the go-ahead run at the plate with one out in the eighth, after back-to-back singles by Zeke Blanton and Benji Jackson put men on the corners, but reliever Garrett Baker came on and got Merck to ground into an inning-ending double play to thwart the potential rally.
The 'Dogs pitched out of a potential jam in the top of the ninth, getting a great defensive play at shortstop by Miller to end the inning and strand two runners, keeping the margin at two runs going into their final at bat.
Gardner-Webb mounted a rally, with Watts leading off the ninth with a single and Miller reaching on an error at third base. Pinch hitter Danny Yelverton drove in Watts with a two-out single to center to trim the lead to 3-2, and Miller moved to third base on the play. Yelverton stole second on a 1-2 pitch to Scott Coleman, putting the winning run in scoring position, but Liberty second baseman Haley gloved a Coleman grounder and made the throw in time to end the game.
Linza (9-3) picked up the win, working 7.1 innings, striking out four and allowing just one run on seven hits. Dane Beakler came on to retire Coleman for his third save of the season.
Paeplow (3-3) took the hard-luck loss, despite allowing just two earned runs in 5.1 innings of work with four strikeouts. Howell (3.0 IP), Brett Stackhouse (0.1 IP) and Adam Izokovic (0.1) kept the 'Dogs in the game, combining for 3.2 hitless, scoreless innings out of the pen.
Gardner-Webb outhit the Flames 9-8, but had six line drive outs in the game overall. Jackson (2-for-4, 2B, run) and Merck (2-for-4) paced the offense for the Runnin' Bulldogs. Liberty was led at the plate by Parmley (2-for-4, 3B, run) and Haley (2-for-3, run, RBI).
The one-run loss was the first for Gardner-Webb since March 25 against High Point. GWU had won seven in a row in one-run decisions, and is now 11-3 on the year in those games.
Gardner-Webb will host Western Carolina on Tuesday at 6:00 pm. For ticket information call Gardner-Webb athletics at (704) 406-4340.
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