Gardner-Webb Falls Short In 3-0 Loss To Coastal Carolina Saturday
April 26, 2014 | Baseball
It was Kerr's second consecutive complete-game shutout and marked just the second time Gardner-Webb (18-23, 8-11 Big South) has been shut out in 2014.
Kerr struck out a career-high 11 batters and walked just one in the gem.
Coastal Carolina (22-22, 12-8 Big South) got a two-run single from Jake Kane in the third inning to take the lead for good. The Chanticleers had four singles in the inning, getting a pair of bunt hits from Steven Whitaker and Connor Owings to start things.
Gardner-Webb starter Andrew Barnett nearly got out of trouble completely, getting an infield fly and a strikeout to slow the Chanticleers. Designate hitter G.K. Young was hit by a slider to load the bases, however, and Kane went the other way through the left side on a 1-1 pitch - driving home Whitaker and Owings.
The Runnin' Bulldogs put runners in scoring position with two outs in both the second and third innings, but could not get anything else going. Hunter Smith hammered a two-out double to reach in the second, and JJ Nazzaro singled to lead off the third before moving up on a groundout.
Scott Coleman's hard hit ball up the middle with Nazzaro on base was knocked down at the mound by Kerr to keep the two-run lead intact.
The Runnin' Bulldogs threatened again in the fifth, when Smith led off with a single up the middle. He moved to second on a sacrifice bunt and took third on a wild pitch, but Kerr recorded back-to-back strikeouts to end the threat.
Coastal added insurance in the sixth when Colin Hering tripled of the base of the scoreboard and scored on a two-out wild pitch for a 3-0 margin.
Gardner-Webb got its leadoff batter aboard again in the seventh, when Scott Johnson drew a walk, but Kerr stranded him at third with two straight ground balls and a pop fly to right.
Barnett (4-2) took the loss, scattering 10 hits (eight singles) and three runs in 6.1 innings pitched. The High Point, N.C., senior fanned four and didn't issue a walk. Warner came on to hurl 2.2 shutout innings to keep the Runnin' Bulldogs within striking distance.
Smith (2-for-3, 2B) had two of Gardner-Webb's four hits in the game. Nazzaro (1-for-4) and Johnson (1-for-3, 2B) also had base knocks.
Coastal Carolina supported Kerr with 10 hits, getting a pair each from Owings (2-for-5, run), Paez (2-for-5) and Hering (2-for-4, 3B, run).
The two teams will play the series rubber match on Sunday at 2:00 pm. The game will air live on The Big South Network (bigsouthsports.com).
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