Runnin' Bulldogs Roll Past High Point, 14-4, Tuesday In Big South Conference Tournament First Round
May 25, 2011 | Baseball
LEXINGTON,
Va. - Gardner-Webb scored 11 runs in its first three at bats to
roll past High Point, 14-4, Tuesday night in the first round of the
Royal Purple Big South Conference Tournament.
The Runnin' Bulldogs (31-21-1) advance to the double elimination bracket of the tournament will play No. 2 Liberty on Wednesday at 3:00 pm at Gray-Minor Stadium. No. 6 Radford got past No. 7 VMI, 3-1, earlier Tuesday and will battle No. 1 Coastal Carolina at 11:00 am on Wednesday.
High Point (24-32) had its bats rolling in the top of the first to take the early lead, getting a leadoff single from Mike Mercurio and a double just inside the bag at first from Sal Pezzino to start the rally. Gardner-Webb starter Emilio Pagan struck out All-Big South outfielder Steve Antolik on four pitches to settle things down, but a wild pitch got past and allowed Mercurio to trot home for a 1-0 lead.
Pagan walked Robbie Gilles to put runners on the corners and Murray White IV plated Pezzino with a sacrifice fly for a 2-0 Panthers. Ryan Retz then doubled home Gilles with a two-out double to the left center gap for a 3-0 edge - before Pagan struck out Drew Geissinger to end the frame.
The Runnin' Bulldogs rallied with two outs in the bottom of the first to get back into it, getting a sharp single from Jake Watts to left center and a two-run home run to right center from Dusty Quattlebaum to trim the lead to 3-2. Brad Collins followed with a single to right, but Adam McFarland's line drive to center tracked right into the glove for the third out.
Gardner-Webb surged in front in the second, collecting five hits - including two-run doubles from Benji Jackson and Jake Watts to push across four runs for a 6-3 lead. High Point starter Robert Caldwell, who threw 7.0 shutout innings in his last start at Radford on May 14, was pulled from the game after Watts' double to right center - and Spencer Andrews came on to get the final two outs of the inning.
A two-out double from Retz in the third cut the lead to 6-4, but Pagan would not allow any more runs to cross.
Gardner-Webb took advantage of two HPU errors to get another big rally started in the third, as Adam McFarland reached on a miscue to start the inning and scored on another error with two outs in the inning for a 7-4 lead. Daniel Merck followed with a hard single to left, Aaron Miller drove in Benji Jackson with a nicely placed bunt single and Jake Watts hammered an RBI single to right to drive in Merck. Quattlebaum then hit a ball high into the overcast sky that was lost in the lights for an RBI double that gave the 'Dogs an 11-4 edge.
Benji Jackson led off the bottom of the fifth with a towering solo home run to push the lead to 12-4 and Miller reached two batters later on an inside pitch that hit him. Watts followed with his fourth hit of the game, a single to right, and Quattlebaum singled up the middle to drive in Miller for a 13-4 lead. Brad Collins then belted an 0-2 pitch up the middle to score Watts - getting the lead to double digits before the Panthers could get back into the dugout.
The offensive pace would slow in the late innings, as both bullpens came through with solid performances.
Pagan ( 4-3 ) worked 6.0 innings, fanned four and scattered seven hits and four runs to pick up the win. Caldwell (5-3) allowed six earned runs on eight hits in just 1.1 innings pitched and Spencer Andrews gave up eight runs (three earned) in 3.2 innings of relief work as GWU built its lead.
Gardner-Webb got scoreless relief innings from Brock Wilson (1.0 IP), Brandon Boling (1.0 IP) and Andrew Barnett (1.0 IP), with Barnett striking out the side in the ninth.
Gardner-Webb was led offensively by Watts (4-for-5, 2B, 3 runs, 3 RBI), Quattlebaum (3-for-4, 2B, HR, 4 RBI), Miller (2-for-3, 3 runs, RBI), Collins (2-for-5, RBI) and Jackson (2-for-4, HR, 3 runs, 3 RBI). Eight different players collected hits for the 'Dogs.
Retz (2-for-4, 2 2B, 2 RBI), Antolik (2-for-5, 2B) and Packrall (2-for-3) paced the Panthers' nine-hit offensive evening.
The Runnin' Bulldogs (31-21-1) advance to the double elimination bracket of the tournament will play No. 2 Liberty on Wednesday at 3:00 pm at Gray-Minor Stadium. No. 6 Radford got past No. 7 VMI, 3-1, earlier Tuesday and will battle No. 1 Coastal Carolina at 11:00 am on Wednesday.
High Point (24-32) had its bats rolling in the top of the first to take the early lead, getting a leadoff single from Mike Mercurio and a double just inside the bag at first from Sal Pezzino to start the rally. Gardner-Webb starter Emilio Pagan struck out All-Big South outfielder Steve Antolik on four pitches to settle things down, but a wild pitch got past and allowed Mercurio to trot home for a 1-0 lead.
Pagan walked Robbie Gilles to put runners on the corners and Murray White IV plated Pezzino with a sacrifice fly for a 2-0 Panthers. Ryan Retz then doubled home Gilles with a two-out double to the left center gap for a 3-0 edge - before Pagan struck out Drew Geissinger to end the frame.
The Runnin' Bulldogs rallied with two outs in the bottom of the first to get back into it, getting a sharp single from Jake Watts to left center and a two-run home run to right center from Dusty Quattlebaum to trim the lead to 3-2. Brad Collins followed with a single to right, but Adam McFarland's line drive to center tracked right into the glove for the third out.
Gardner-Webb surged in front in the second, collecting five hits - including two-run doubles from Benji Jackson and Jake Watts to push across four runs for a 6-3 lead. High Point starter Robert Caldwell, who threw 7.0 shutout innings in his last start at Radford on May 14, was pulled from the game after Watts' double to right center - and Spencer Andrews came on to get the final two outs of the inning.
A two-out double from Retz in the third cut the lead to 6-4, but Pagan would not allow any more runs to cross.
Gardner-Webb took advantage of two HPU errors to get another big rally started in the third, as Adam McFarland reached on a miscue to start the inning and scored on another error with two outs in the inning for a 7-4 lead. Daniel Merck followed with a hard single to left, Aaron Miller drove in Benji Jackson with a nicely placed bunt single and Jake Watts hammered an RBI single to right to drive in Merck. Quattlebaum then hit a ball high into the overcast sky that was lost in the lights for an RBI double that gave the 'Dogs an 11-4 edge.
Benji Jackson led off the bottom of the fifth with a towering solo home run to push the lead to 12-4 and Miller reached two batters later on an inside pitch that hit him. Watts followed with his fourth hit of the game, a single to right, and Quattlebaum singled up the middle to drive in Miller for a 13-4 lead. Brad Collins then belted an 0-2 pitch up the middle to score Watts - getting the lead to double digits before the Panthers could get back into the dugout.
The offensive pace would slow in the late innings, as both bullpens came through with solid performances.
Pagan ( 4-3 ) worked 6.0 innings, fanned four and scattered seven hits and four runs to pick up the win. Caldwell (5-3) allowed six earned runs on eight hits in just 1.1 innings pitched and Spencer Andrews gave up eight runs (three earned) in 3.2 innings of relief work as GWU built its lead.
Gardner-Webb got scoreless relief innings from Brock Wilson (1.0 IP), Brandon Boling (1.0 IP) and Andrew Barnett (1.0 IP), with Barnett striking out the side in the ninth.
Gardner-Webb was led offensively by Watts (4-for-5, 2B, 3 runs, 3 RBI), Quattlebaum (3-for-4, 2B, HR, 4 RBI), Miller (2-for-3, 3 runs, RBI), Collins (2-for-5, RBI) and Jackson (2-for-4, HR, 3 runs, 3 RBI). Eight different players collected hits for the 'Dogs.
Retz (2-for-4, 2 2B, 2 RBI), Antolik (2-for-5, 2B) and Packrall (2-for-3) paced the Panthers' nine-hit offensive evening.
| Box Score (PDF) |
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