BOILING SPRINGS, N.C.- The Gardner-Webb softball team received two complete-game pitching performances as it recorded two victories over South Carolina State on Tuesday afternoon at the Brinkley Softball Stadium.
With the victories, Gardner-Webb evens its record at 3-3, while South Carolina State falls to 0-4.
Mackenzie Thompson allowed one run on three hits and struck out six in the first game of the doubleheader to improve her record to 2-0 on the season, and Summer Darnell earned her first win of the season in game two, as she allowed just three hits and struck out six,
Rachel Cumiskey led the way offensively for GWU, collecting three hits on the afternoon, driving in six runs and smacked her first home run of the season.
Kaylee Wacaster and Scarlett Harris both had impressive days offensively as the duo combined for seven hits and 13 total bases, including a three-run bomb for Harris and a triple for Wacaster.
Gardner-Webb 11, South Carolina State 1- 6 innings.
Gardner-Webb jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning on a sacrifice fly by Amanda Gomes and Harris followed with a RBI single through the right side.
The score would remain the same until the third inning when Cumiskey belted an opposite field two-run home home to double the GWU lead to 4-0.
South Carolina added its lone run of the game into the top of the fourth on an RBI double by Deanna Sullivan, but the Runnin' Bulldogs added two runs in the fourth and fifth and ended the game on Harris' three-run shot in the sixth.
Gardner-Webb 11, South Carolina State 1- 5 innings
The Runnin' Bulldogs continued with their hot bats into game two plating four runs in the first inning. Wacaster, Jill Blank, Gomes, and Harris each scored a run as GWU led 4-0 after one inning.
Unique Whitehurst smashed an RBI single to put the Bulldogs on the board in the third, but Gardner-Webb answered with six runs in the bottom half of the inning to put the game away.
Maddie Lewis drove in Gomes on an RBI ground out to the second base and after a Megan Champion walk, Emma Megal drew a walk which scored Harris. Later in the inning, Wacaster roped an RBI double to left field and two batters later, Cumiskey smoked a two-RBI single to right field.
Champion singled in the fourth and Darnell allowed just one hit in the fifth to send GWU to the sweep with an 11-1 victory in the second game of the doubleheader.
Gardner-Webb returns to action this weekend, when it hosts the Runnin' Bulldogs softball tournament where it welcomes Hartford and Hampton to the Brinkley Softball Stadium.
