WASHINGTON, D.C.- Scarlett Harris smashed her third home run of the season, but the Gardner-Webb softball team left eight runners-on-base as it lost 6-5 to George Washington for a second straight day.
The Runnin' Bulldogs out hit the Colonials on the afternoon, 11-9, and had three players with multi-hit performances on the afternoon, but stranded eight runners on-base, compared to just four for GW.
Rachel Cumiskey went 3-for-4 with a run, while Kaylee Wacaster had another solid day at the plate collecting two hits and scored a run. Megan Gibbons leaned into a pitch, and launched her first home run of the season in the fourth inning.
After lasting just 1/3 of an inning yesterday, Paige Kovalsky tossed a complete-game for the Colonials, allowing 11 hits and struck out two for her fourth win of the season.
George Washington jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first, as Ashley Schnarrs walked to begin the inning and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt. Megan Linn smacked an RBI-double to give the Colonials the lead.
Gardner-Webb came right back in the top of the second and tied the game at one, as Harris rocketed a solo-blast over the right field wall to tie the game.
Kovalsky helped out her own cause in the second inning, reaching base on an error by Callie Thornton and advanced into scoring position on a sacrifice bunt. Kovalskly then proceeded to steal third base and scored on a fielders choice to give the lead back to GW.
The Runnin' Bulldogs tied the game at two in the top of the third inning, as Wacaster hit a one-out single through the left side and Jill Blank followed with a single, advancing Wacaster to second base. Cumiskey singled to the shortstop to load the bases with just one out. Gomes was the next batter and brought the run home, as she lined out to center field, but Wacaster tagged up from third base to score the run.
Devyn Terry allowed a two-out double in the third but sent down the fourth batter of the inning, as the game remained tied at two.
Gardner-Webb took the lead in the fourth as Gibbons smashed a solo home-run, but the Colonials came back in the home half of the inning and tied the game at three on an RBI single by Kovalsky.
Both teams remained deadlocked at three heading into the fifth inning, but Linn gave the lead back to GWU with an RBI fielders choice, and the Colonials added two more runs in the sixth as Gardner-Webb trailed 6-3 heading into its final at-bat.
Blank got the inning started as she reached base on an error and Cumiskey followed up with a single to give GWU runners on first and second with no outs. Gomes flew out to left field for the first out of the inning, which brought up Harris, and the senior roped a two-RBI double down the left field line to cut the defecit to one. Gibbons then flew out to center field, but Harris moved up to scoring position on the play. That brought up Sam Harrell, and the sophomore was unable to bring home the tying run, as she popped up to second base to end the game.
Gardner-Webb faces Akron tomorrow at 10 a.m. in the final game of the George Washington University Capital Invitational.
