Winthrop Tops Gardner-Webb in Both Games of Twin Bill on Saturday Afternoon
April 06, 2013 | Softball
Boiling Springs, N.C. - The Runnin' Bulldogs dropped both games of a Big South Conference doubleheader on Saturday afternoon, as the Winthrop Eagles defeated Gardner-Webb 6-0 and 9-4 in eight innings at Varsity Field in Boiling Springs, N.C.
The two losses drops the Runnin' Bulldogs to 4-24 overall and 1-11 in Big South play, while the Eagles improve to 19-17 overall and 7-5 in the League with the twin tilt sweep.
Game 1: Winthrop 6, GWU 0
Gardner-Webb fell behind early and saw its offense struggle, as Winthrop shutout the Runnin' Bulldogs 6-0 in game one of the twin bill.
The Eagles took an early 1-0 lead by way of a GWU error in the top of the first, and then doubled that with a solo home run off the bat off shortstop Kelsey Ritter in the second to pull in front at 2-0 after two innings complete.
The Runnin' Bulldogs, who stranded two base runners in the bottom of the first, loaded the bases in the bottom of the second on a Melinda Dulkowski double, a Taylar Pridgen walk and a Samantha Meenaghan infield single. However, the Eagles would get the next GWU batter to strike out swinging to end the Runnin' Bulldogs' scoring threat.
Winthrop again used the long ball in the top of the fifth, as second-baseman Kristy Noble hit a solo home run to lead-off the inning, while two batters later fellow Eagle Kathryn Eberlin blasted a two-run shot down the left field line to push the Eagles out in front at 5-0.
After Winthrop added a run in the top of the seventh on an RBI single by designated player Chelsey Schoenfeldt, the Runnin' Bulldogs were able to get only two more hits over its final five at bats, a single by Meenaghan and a double from Morgan Baker both in the bottom of the seventh, to ultimately fall to the Eagles 6-0 in game one.
Gardner-Webb's Ashley Rhyne (2-9) was handed the loss, as the junior gave up six runs, five of which were earned, on 10 hits and two walks, while striking out five over seven innings of work.
The win went to Winthrop's Sutton Watson (12-9), as the starter held GWU to only four hits, yet walked six in the complete game victory.
At the plate, Meenaghan was 2-for-4, while Baker was 1-for-3 with a double and Dulkowski was 1-for-1 with a double and two base-on-balls.
For Winthrop offensively, Noble (2-for-4, RBI), Eberlin (1-for-3, 2 RBI) and Ritter (1-for-3, RBI) all had a home run in the game, while outfielder McKenzi Corn was 4-for-4 with a double and three runs scored.
Game 2: Winthrop 9, GWU 4 (8 innings)
The Runnin' Bulldogs took an early 4-0 lead over the Eagles in game two, however, Winthrop scored the final nine runs over the final five innings of play to outlast Gardner-Webb 9-4 in eight innings of play.
Gardner-Webb jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in game two, as Baker posted an RBI double in the first inning, while Dulkowski drove in senior Jordyn Arrowood, who reached base safely on a triple to lead off the inning, on a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the second.
While GWU starter Jessica Childers held Winthrop hitless over the first three innings, the Runnin' Bulldog offense pushed its lead to 4-0 on a two-run home run by Baker in the bottom of the third. The home run was her seventh of the season.
However, Winthrop refused to go away, as Schoenfeldt hit a solo shot in the top of the fourth to put the Eagles on the scoreboard and cut the GWU lead to three at 4-1.
After Gardner-Webb left both Rachel Jablonski, who singled, and Meenaghan, who reached on a fielder's choice, on base stranded in the bottom of the fourth, Winthrop's offense got on track in the top of the fifth with an RBI double by outfielder Teja Durante and a two-run home run by Noble to tie the score up at 4-4.
Both teams would go down in order in the sixth to send the tied game into the seventh, where both Winthrop and Gardner-Webb left the winning run stranded on second base in the final inning of play to propel the game into extra innings.
In the top of the eighth, Winthrop blew the game open, as Eberlin belted a three-run home run, which was followed by a solo shot by Alex White to put the Eagles in front for the first time in the game at 9-4.
The Runnin' Bulldogs' Dulkowski lined a two-out single to left field in the bottom half of the eighth, but that was all that GWU could do, as the Eagles held on for the 9-4 extra inning come from behind win.
The loss went to Childers (1-9), as the junior ran out of gas late, allowing eight runs on six hits and five walks, while striking out six in 7.2 innings of work.
Winthrop's Schoenfeldt (1-4) earned the win in relief work, as she entered the game in the second inning and held GWU scoreless on only four hits and five strikeouts over the final 5.2 innings of the contest.
Baker led GWU at the plate, as the redshirt-junior was 2-for-4 with a home run, a double and three RBIs, while Dulkowski was 1-for-3 with an RBI. Both Meenaghan and Arrowood were 2-for-4 with a run scored in the loss.
While for the Eagles at the plate, Eberlin was 1-for-3 with a home run and three RBIs and Noble was 1-for-5 with a home run and two RBIs.
Gardner-Webb (4-24, 1-11 Big South) and Winthrop (19-17, 7-5 Big South) will return to the field again tomorrow, as the two teams will play the third and final game of the weekend conference series at 2 p.m. at Varsity Field.
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| Game 1 Box Score: Winthrop 6, GWU 0 |
| Game 2 Box Score: Winthrop 9, GWU 4 (8 innings) |
