BOILING SPRINGS – Gardner-Webb got a strong pitching performance from senior Matt Fraudin, but couldn't get its offense rolling Saturday night in a 3-0 loss to Longwood.
The Runnin' Bulldogs (20-30, 6-17 Big South) were eliminated from contention for a berth in the eight-team Big South Conference Tournament with the loss.
Longwood (21-27, 9-11 Big South) clinched a spot in the eight-team field with the win.
The Lancers finally got to Fraudin with speed and good fortune in the sixth inning. Mac McCafferty singled to lead off the inning, then moved to second on a sacrifice bunt. Swift leadoff man Colton Konvica legged out an infield hit to put men on the corners and – after a pinch runner was inserted for McCafferty at third – Brandon Harvell laid down a perfect squeeze bunt single for a 1-0 lead.
Gardner-Webb got a leadoff single from Patrick Graham in the bottom of the sixth, but stranded him at second base. The 'Dogs had another golden chance in the eighth, getting a leadoff hit from Collin Thacker – but a strike out/caught stealing double play cooled the rally quickly. Graham reached with a two-out single, but pinch runner Jacob Walker was picked off at first to end the inning with Longwood's 1-0 lead intact.
The Lancers tacked on two insurance runs with two outs in the ninth. A leadoff walk to Connar Bastaich proved costly, as he was the last batter Fraudin faced. Brad Haymes came out of the bullpen and got a grounder for the first out, but Bastaich scampered to second on the play. A line drive to right field was snagged for the second out – but relief pitcher Travis Burnette singled to right in his first at bat of the season to put men on the corners.
Haymes caught Burnette breaking for second and threw to second, but Bastaich broke for the plate and scored underneath a high throw for a 2-0 lead. Konvicka then singled to centerfield to drive home Burnette for the final margin.
Burnette retired Gardner-Webb in order in the ninth to pick up his first save of the season.
Reliever Mitchell Kuebbing (2-5) picked up the win, hurling 1.1 scoreless innings for the Lancers. Burnette went 3.0 innings and scattered two hits to complete the combined shutout. Starter Luke Simpson threw 90 pitches in 4.2 innings, but allowed just three hits and fanned five (three walks).
The Lancers had seven hits in the game, with Konvica (2-for-5, RBI) the lone man with more than one.
Gardner-Webb's Fraudin (4-5) was the hard-luck loser on the mound, hurling 8.0 innings and allowing just two runs on five hits. All five hits were singles, with three coming in the form of infield singles. The big right-hander fanned six batters and walked three.
The 'Dogs had six hits in the game, with Gage Parham (2-for-4), Thacker (2-for-4) and Graham (2-for-4) combining for all of those base knocks.
The two teams will wrap up the three-game series on Sunday at 2:00 pm. The game will air live on the Big South Network (bigsouthsports.com).
