GREENVILLE, S.C. – Gardner-Webb scored four runs in the top of the ninth and held off a Furman rally in the bottom half for a 7-4 win over the Paladins Wednesday night.
The Runnin' Bulldogs (15-10) held a 3-1 lead after batting in the top of the eighth, but saw Furman (11-12) tie the score on a two-run single by Chris Ohmstede with two outs. Reliever Bradley Hallman worked out of the inning and Gardner-Webb mounted its own rally quickly in the ninth.
Pinch hitter Matt Simmons led off the ninth with a single, then gave way to pinch runner Evan Hyett. Henry Rundio executed the sacrifice bunt to move Hyett into scoring position and, after Scott Johnson earned a walk, Blair Huggins gave GWU the lead back with an RBI single through the left side.
Johnson moved to third and Huggins moved to second on the throw home, forcing the Paladins to intentionally walk J.D. Huggins and load the bases. Ryan Hodge delivered a critical blow, doubling down the line in right to drive home both Johnson and the elder Huggins for a 6-3 advantage.
Furman intentionally walked Tyler Best to load the bases again and set up a potential double play, but Huggins darted home on a wild pitch after a strikeout to give Gardner-Webb a 7-4 lead. Paladins' reliever Noal Mullen, who came on to record the second out via strikeout, recorded another to end the GWU rally.
The Paladins wasted little time ramping up the dramatic energy at Latham Stadium, with Griffin Davis leading off the bottom of the ninth with a triple in the gap to left center. Freshman slugger Blake Chisolm followed with a single up the middle to cut the lead to 7-4, and a single by Jordan Simpson chased Hallman from the game.
Brad Haymes came on for his second pressure-packed relief appearance in as many games and was greeted by a single to load the bases. The Chatham, Va., junior settled in from there, recording three-straight strikeouts – all looking – to end the game with the bases loaded.
Gardner-Webb got a two-run single from Jacob Walker with two outs in the first, driving home Hodge and Sam Fulginiti for an early 2-0 lead on Furman southpaw Grant Schuermann. GWU managed four hits in the inning, double the number of safeties Schuermann allowed in a two-hit, complete-game performance in Boiling Springs last week.
Jake Jones belted a solo home run in the fourth for Furman to trim the lead to 2-1, but Gardner-Webb got that tally back in the top of the fifth when Collin Thacker drove in Blair Huggins with an RBI groundout.
Hallman (4-1) picked up another relief win, allowing one run and recording a key out in the eighth. Haymes fanned three in a scoreless appearance for his first save of the year. The late fireworks by the Paladins overshadowed a quality start from righty Jeremy Walker, who allowed just three runs and fanned three in 7.2 innings of work in a no decision.
Gardner-Webb had 11 hits, with Hodge (2-for-5, 2 2B, 2 RBI), Fulginiti (2-for-5, run) and Blair Huggins (2-for-4, RBI, 2 runs) leading that charge.
Furman's Steven Fondu (1-1) took the loss after allowing four runs on three hits and two intentional walks in 1.1 innings out of the pen. Schuermann took a no decision after allowing two runs on five hits in 4.0 innings. The lefty was scheduled to throw Wednesday on a limited pitch count and the Paladins used six different pitchers in the game.
The Paladins had 12 hits in the game and were led at the plate by Simpson (3-for-4), Davis (2-for-4, 3B, run), Ryan Morse (2-for-4, run) and Landon Kay (2-for-3, run).
Gardner-Webb returns home after a four-game road swing to host UNC Asheville at 6:00 pm Friday at John Henry Moss Stadium/Bill Masters Field. The game is scheduled to air live on The Big South Network (bigsouthsports.com).
