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Box Score 2 GREENSBORO, N.C. –
Kaylee Wacaster's six hits, including her 100
th career hit, and five RBIs led the Gardner-Webb Runnin' Bulldogs to a sweep of the North Carolina A&T Aggies on Wednesday afternoon.
Game One: Gardner-Webb 15, North Carolina A&T 4 (6 innings)
An eight-run fifth inning helped the Runnin' Bulldogs (9-4) earn a 15-4 win over the Aggies in the first game of the afternoon.
North Carolina A&T (2-8) took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first off an RBI double, but it would be the only run the hosts would score until the bottom of the fifth.
In the third, Gardner-Webb took the lead from A&T thanks to junior
Kaylee Wacaster's triple, which sparked a big inning for the 'Dogs. The triple was the Shleby, North Carolina native's 100
th career hit.
Following Wacaster's milestone,
Maddi Johnson's RBI single to left field tied the contest and back-to-back walks loaded the bases for reigning Big South Conference Freshman of the Week
Katie Prebble. Prebble drew the Runnin Bulldogs third consecutive base on balls to help Gardner-Webb take a 2-1 lead, and
Jenna Wacaster's sacrifice fly gave the Runnin' Bulldogs a two-run advantage after the top half of the third.
Despite going down quietly in the fourth, Gardner-Webb added eight runs to the scoreboard in the fifth.
Annamarie Warley scored on a wild pitch and
Lauren Huffman, who worked her way to third base thanks to two wild pitches after initially reaching via a fielder's choice, crossed home on a throwing error.
Leading 5-1,
Trinity Sterrett,
Weslyn Almond and
Andria Booth all reached base, bringing K. Wacaster up to bat. Hit 101 for Wacaster was a grand slam to left field, extending Gardner-Webb's lead to 9-1.
Warley and Huffman once again found their way on base in the inning and were batted in by Prebble, who singled to left field, making the score 11-1 in favor of the Runnin' Bulldogs.
In the bottom of the inning, the Aggies scored three times, but Gardner-Webb answered in the top of the sixth with four runs of its own.
K. Wacaster continued her stellar day at the plate with a bases loaded RBI single, before Johnson, Warley and Stettler all batted in runs to push Gardner-Webb's advantage to 15-4. The game ended after six innings.
Wacaster led the 'Dogs at the plate with four hits in five at-bats, five RBIs and three runs scored.
Ashley Wark earned the win and improved to 6-2 overall. The Bristow, Va. native surrendered nine hits and gave up four runs over five innings of work.
Sam Harrell pitched the sixth, allowing two hits.
Game Two: Gardner-Webb 9, North Carolina A&T 0
The second game of the doubleheader started quietly as the two teams combined for just a pair of hits through two innings, but Gardner-Webb's bats came to life in the top of the third.
After Warley was hit by a pitch, Almond reached on a throwing error, setting up a double steal and bringing Booth to the plate. Booth was safe on a fielder's choice and two batters later, Johnson's RBI sacrifice fly to center field scored Warley to give GWU a 1-0 lead.
Immediately following Johnson, the Runnin' Bulldogs hit back-to-back home runs to left field – a three-run shot by Huffman and a solo home run off Prebble's bat. After the top of the third, Gardner-Webb led, 5-0.
Two innings later, Prebble's second home run of the game, this one a two-run shot, extended the Runnin' Bulldogs lead to 7-0.
Prebble continued her hot streak with a two-out, two RBI single in the top of the sixth to make the score 9-0.
Laken Myers shut down the Aggies in the bottom of the inning to preserve the shutout. The freshman pitched a complete game and surrendered only five hits, while striking out five.
Prebble (3-for-4, 5 RBIs, 2 runs scored), Huffman (1-for-3, HR, 3 RBIs) and Wacaster (2-for-4) led the Runnin' Bulldogs at the plate.
Gardner-Webb will return to action this weekend for the 15
th Annual Georgia Classic on the campus of the University of Georgia. The Runnin' Bulldogs will open play on Friday, February 23, at 3:30 p.m. against ETSU.