BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. –
Katie Prebble and
Kaylee Wacaster combined for seven RBIs in Gardner-Webb's 10-1 victory over Western Illinois in its first game Saturday, before the team fell to Eastern Illinois, 9-0, in game two.
Game 1: Gardner-Webb 10, Western Illinois 1
The visitors from Western Illinois threatened early, but
Laken Myers worked her way out of a jam in the top of the first, and the floodgates opened for the Runnin' Bulldogs in the bottom of the inning.
Weslyn Almond opened the inning with a single, while
Andria Booth drew a walk.
Kaylee Wacaster batted in Almond for GWU's first run of the contest.
Rachel Cumiskey singled and freshman
Katie Prebble made the most of her at bat, hitting a grand slam to center field. Prebble's slam gave the Runnin' Bulldogs an early 5-0 lead. The 'Dogs added a sixth run when
Trinity Sterrett singled, scoring
Katie Stettler.
Gardner-Webb continued the onslaught in the bottom of the second, adding a pair of runs to the scoreboard and extending its advantage to 8-0. K. Wacaster once again batted in a runner, this time scoring Booth with a single through the left side of the infield. Wacaster would cross home plate herself on Cumiskey's sacrifice fly to center field, and at the end of two innings, GWU led 8-0.
Western Illinois scored its lone run in the top of the fourth inning, but the Runnin' Bulldogs answered with two of their own in the bottom half of the frame. For the second time in the contest, K. Wacaster batted in Booth, this time via a triple. Cumiskey's second sacrifice fly of the game, this time to left field, scored K. Wacaster and gave Gardner-Webb a 10-1 lead.
Sam Harrell, who came on in relief of Myers, gave up one hit in the fifth but struck out the Fighting Leathernecks' Halle Hollatz to end the contest after five innings.
Myers improved to 2-2 on the year with the victory, pitching 3.1 innings and surrendering just one run. EIU's Abby Carlin took the loss, completing just one inning.
Prebble (4 RBIs), K. Wacaster (3 RBIs), Cumiskey (2 RBIs) and Sterrett (1 RBI) all batted in runs for the Runnin' Bulldogs.
Game 2: Eastern Illinois 9, Gardner-Webb 0
Game two did not go in favor of Gardner-Webb as the Panthers of Eastern Illinois managed nine runs in three separate innings to take the victory.
Trailing 6-0 in the second,
Lauren Huffman recorded the Runnin' Bulldogs first hit of their second game but was tagged out after overrunning first base, effectively ending the inning.
The Panthers went down in order in the third, and Prebble opened GWU's half of the inning with a leadoff double. Almond took first base after being hit by a pitch, but a groundout ended the inning with two 'Dogs left on base and Eastern Illinois leading, 6-0.
In the top of the fourth, the Panthers recorded their final runs of the contest via a three-run home run to take a 9-0 lead.
Gardner-Webb went retired in order in the bottom of the fourth, and despite having the bases loaded with two outs in the fifth, were unable to push any runs across the plate and fell by a 9-0 score.
Huffman recorded two hits for the Runnin' Bulldogs, while Prebble added one.
Ashley Wark took the loss and dropped to 3-2 on the year.
Gardner-Webb is now 5-4 in 2018 and returns to action tomorrow, Sunday, February 18, for the final day of the Runnin' Bulldog Tournament Sponsored by AmericInn. The 'Dogs will play Western Carolina at 12 noon and 2 p.m.
