Runnin' Bulldogs Fall in Slugfest at Liberty on Saturday Afternoon
April 13, 2013 | Softball
Lynchburg, Va. - In an offensive slugfest that saw 18 combined runs on 21 combined hits, the Gardner-Webb softball team came up short on Saturday, falling to the Liberty Lady Flames 13-5 in the third and final game of the three-game conference weekend series in Lynchburg, Va.
The loss drops GWU to 7-27 overall and 4-14 in Big South play, while Liberty improves to 19-21 overall and 8-8 in conference action.
For the third straight game, Gardner-Webb surrendered the first run of the game to the Liberty Lady Flames, as catcher Kelby Allen hit a bases loaded sacrifice fly to right field to drive in Jill Stephens from third in the bottom of the first to put the home team up 1-0 after only one inning of play.
Gardner-Webb got the run back in the next half inning, as freshman designated player Scarlett Harris led off the top of the second with a double down the left field line. After a Melinda Dulkowski sacrifice bunt moved Harris up to third and a ground ball out back to the pitcher failed to plate the runner, right fielder Mariana Gallardo ripped a two-out double to right center field to drive in Harris and tie the score up at 1-1.
The inning did not stop there however, as sophomore catcher Taylar Pridgen singled to short to move Gallardo up to third, while lead-off hitter Samantha Meenaghan followed with a single to right center field to score Gallardo and put the visitors in front for the first time in the game at 2-1.
Again it would be Harris contributing once more in the top of the third, as this time the freshman blasted an RBI double to left center field to score shortstop Savannah Burns, who had singled earlier in the inning, all the way around from first to push the Runnin' Bulldogs' lead to two at 3-1.
After pitching out of a jam in the bottom of the third inning, the Runnin' Bulldogs' again struggled in the bottom of the fourth as the Lady Flames blew the game open with a six spot in the frame to pull out to a 7-3 lead.
In the inning, Liberty took advantage of a lead-off walk and a hit by pitch to plate two runs on a double by second-baseman Blair Lawrence. Two batters later Stephens had an RBI bunt single to bring up designated player Sammi Shivock who hit a three-run home run to center field to clear the bases and put the Lady Flames in front by four at 7-3 after four innings of play.
Refusing to throw in the towel, the Runnin' Bulldogs got another infield single by Pridgen which set up a two-run home run by Meenaghan to left field, as the blast cut the Liberty lead to two at 7-5. The home run was Meenaghan's third long ball of the season.
However, in the bottom half of the sixth, Liberty put together two RBI singles by Stephens and Allen to push its lead back to four at 9-5, before outfielder Amber Donovan knocked a three-run home run over the left center field fence to give the Lady Flames its largest lead of the game at 12-5.
A GWU error, a walk and a Katie Zavodny RBI single through the right side capped off the six-run inning and ended the game with the Lady Flames on top 13-5.
GWU's Ashley Rhyne (4-11) picked up the loss, as the righty gave up four runs on three hits, four walks, one hit-batsman and one strikeout over 3.1 innings of work in the circle.
The win went to LU's Chandler Ball (8-9), as she entered the game in the fourth inning and held GWU to two runs on three hits, two walks and three strikeouts over the final three innings of the game.
Meenaghan paced the Runnin' Bulldogs at the plate, as the junior was 3-for-4 with a home run, three RBIs and a run scored, while Harris was 2-for-3 with two doubles, an RBI and a run scored. Gallardo was 1-for-3 with a double, an RBI and a run scored, while Pridgen was 3-for-3 with a run scored and a stolen base.
For Liberty, Shivock was 3-for-3 with a home run, a double, a walk, three RBIs and a run scored, while Donovan was 1-for-3 with a home run, three RBIs and two runs scored and Lawrence was 1-for-3 with a double, a walk and two RBIs.
Gardner-Webb (7-27, 4-14 Big South) will remain on the road to take on the Lady Aggies of N.C. A&T on Tuesday, April 16th, in a non-conference doubleheader starting at 2 p.m. in Greensboro, N.C. Liberty (19-21, 8-8 Big South) will stay at home to host a Big South Conference doubleheader versus Longwood on Monday, April 15th, at 5 p.m.
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| Box Score: Liberty 13, GWU 5 |
