Bucs Rally For Friday Sweep Of Gardner-Webb
April 19, 2014 | Softball
BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. --- Kellie Beres (Greenville, N.C.) picked up five hits, and Savannah Burns (Vale, N.C.), Jill Blank (Leola, Pa.) and Megan Gibbons (Benson, N.C.) each added three base knocks as Charleston Southern rallied for a doubleheader sweep of Gardner-Webb on Friday afternoon in Big South Conference action.
Charleston Southern (22-29, 8-11 BSC) won game one, 5-0, before rallying for a 2-1 victory over Gardner-Webb (14-32, 4-14 BSC) in the night cap despite being out-hit, 10-6. The Bucs plated seven runs on 17 hits, including four extra-base hits, while the Runnin' Bulldogs tallied one run on 18 hits.
Beres paced the Runnin' Bulldogs with a 5-for-8 afternoon, while Burns, Blank and Gibbons each picked up a trio of base knocks. Mahaila Irvin (Canton, N.C.) drove in Gardner-Webb's first run of the day in game two.
Jessica Childers (Jacksonville Beach, Fla.) got the nod in game one, surrendering five runs and striking out four in seven innings of work. Ashley Rhyne (Crouse, N.C.) took the ball in the night cap, allowing two runs on six hits and striking out three through seven frames.
Ari Tedesco and Lizzy Olmstead led the way for Charleston Southern with three hits each, as Amanda Matsumoto and Natalie Yonan both drove in two runs.
Cheyenne Gandara tossed a seven-inning shutout in game one, scattering eight hits and striking out nine to earn the victory. Morgan Dowdy pitched the first six frames in the night cap, allowing one run on 10 hits, as Jennifer Giles tossed a hitless seventh to close out the sweep.
Game One: Charleston Southern 5, Gardner-Webb 0
The opener remained scoreless until the top of the fourth, when Charleston Southern took an early 1-0 lead on a leadoff double by Georgi Delio and a fielder's choice by Yonan. Gardner-Webb threatened to even the tally in the fifth, loading the bases with one out before a soft grounder to first and a strikeout put the rally on hold.
The Bucs added three tallies in the sixth, pushing the margin to 4-0 following a two-run single from Matsumoto. The Runnin' Bulldogs responded with another threat in the home half, loading the bases on a walk by Irvin before Gandara retired the final batter of the inning to preserve the shutout.
Charleston Southern would cap the scoring in the seventh, stretching the advantage to 5-0 on a sacrifice fly to seal the victory.
Game Two: Charleston Southern 2, Gardner-Webb 1
The Runnin' Bulldogs fought back in game two, taking an early 1-0 lead when Irvin plated Beres with an RBI single in the bottom of the first. Gardner-Webb threatened to extend the margin in the third, putting a runner on third with two outs following an infield single by Beres and a grounder by Gibbons.
Charleston Southern evened the tally in the fifth, knotting the score at 1-1 on an infield single by Olmstead. The Bucs plated another run in the sixth, claiming their first lead of the game at 2-1 following a double by Jessica Brock and a Stephanie Sbardella single.
The Runnin' Bulldogs battled back in the home half of the seventh, loading the bases with no outs following back-to-back singles by Burns and Blank and a walk by Megan Champion (Knightdale, N.C.). Giles quickly responded, striking out the next two batters before forcing a pop fly to second to end the threat and complete the sweep.
Gardner-Webb is back in action on Saturday when the Runnin' Bulldogs will honor seniors Childers, Alyssa Gutierrez (Wake Forest, N.C.), Samantha Meenaghan (Atlantic Beach, Fla.), Rhyne, and Elizabeth Williams (Whiteville, N.C.) prior to a 1:00 pm Big South matchup with Charleston Southern at Varsity Field.
| Box Score: Charleston Southern 5, Gardner-Webb 0 |
| Box Score: Charleston Southern 2, Gardner-Webb 1 |
