Runnin' Bulldogs Fall, 8-2, To Radford In Tourney Opener
May 22, 2012 | Baseball
The Highlanders (29-26-1) got a dominant performance from Big South Co-Pitcher of the Year Eddie Butler, who fanned 10 batters through the first seven innings and shut out the Runnin' Bulldogs (30-27) through six innings.
Radford got an RBI single from Carl Travers to start the scoring in the second, then plated a pair of unearned runs in the third to go up 3-0, with Jeff Kemp and Matt Hillsinger driving in runs in that frame. Josh Gardiner drove in a run in the fourth to push the lead to 4-0, and the Highlanders took advantage of a third GWU error in the fifth to go up 5-0 on a two-out, RBI double from Matt Mack.
Gardner-Webb was finally able to get to Butler in the seventh, with Dusty Quattlebaum belting the first pitch of the half inning deep over the fence in right for his eighth home run of the season and a 5-1 score.
Scott Johnson then legged out a two-out single and scored on a line drive double down the line by Benji Jackson to trim the lead to 5-2. Butler recorded his 10th strikeout to end the rally, and Radford padded its lead in the top of the eighth.
A walk and a hit batter started the rally for Radford in the eighth, and both came around to score on an error with one out in the inning - when a squeeze bunt attempt right back to the mound by Carl Travers was thrown all the way to the backstop. The play allowed Hillsinger and Mack to score and advanced Travers to second. A two-out double by Gardiner pushed the Highlanders' lead to 8-2 and effectively put the game out of reach.
Butler (7-4) scattered eight hits and allowed two runs to pick up the win for Radford, fanning 10 batters without a walk in 8.0 innings. It was his second eight-inning effort of the season against Gardner-Webb. The Runnin' Bulldogs took a 2-1 extra innings win over Radford May 4 in Boiling Springs.
Andrew Barnett (4-4) took the loss on the mound for Gardner-Webb, despite allowing just two earned runs in 7.0 innings of work. The High Point, N.C., sophomore gave up eight hits and struck out four in the first hometown start of his career.
Gardner-Webb was led at the plate by Ryan Hodge (2-for-4) and Jackson (2-for-3, 2B, RBI), with Quattelabum (1-for-4, HR, RBI), Adam McFarland (1-for-4), Johnson (1-for-2, run) and Scott Coleman (1-for-4) also collecting hits. Coleman ran his streak of reaching base to 30 games.
Radford had nine hits in the game, with Brett Mollenhauer, Travers and Gardiner each collecting two. Hillsinger scored three runs in the game.
Gardner-Webb will play No. 8 Charleston Southern at 9:30 am on Wednesday at Willard Stadium.
HEAD COACH RUSTY STROUPE QUOTES
"Two words. Eddie Butler. He really hit his spots well today. I
didn't think we swung the bats badly today (eight hits)."
"[Andrew] Barnett pitched pretty well for us today too. The defense let us down a little early. Radford had a couple of guys back who missed some of the regular season and they made a difference too. [Radford] is much better than a No. 5 seed when they're healthy."
| Box Score (PDF) |
