BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. –
Landon Mitchell tossed six scoreless innings, while the Runnin' Bulldogs had two home runs as Gardner-Webb completed the four-game sweep of visiting Siena with a 4-1 victory on Saturday afternoon.
Gardner-Webb (7-1) earned its first four-game series sweep since the 2016 season, in which GWU swept all three four-game series it played in, against Delaware State (Feb. 19-21), Iona (Feb. 26-28), and Rider (Mar. 4-6).
Siena (0-7) outhit the 'Dogs by a 11-7 margin on the afternoon, but only had one extra base knock, a double by Marcos Campos in the eighth inning.
The Diamond 'Dogs scored solo runs in four of the first six innings, starting in the second inning as
Mason Fox led off with a first-pitch home run off of the scoreboard in right-center field, his second home run of the season
GWU added one run in the third on a RBI single by
Luke Kaesmeyer to right field.
Patrick Price led off the fourth inning with a home run to right field, his second home run in as many days to give Gardner-Webb a 3-0 edge.
The 'Dogs added their final run on the afternoon in the bottom of the sixth as
Mickey Dugan was able to score on a wild pitch.
The Siena bats came alive in the final two innings, as the team had seven of their hits on the day during those two frames.
Campos doubled down the left field line to put a runner in scoring position with one away in the top of the eighth, which was followed by a base hit up the middle by Jordan Bishop. Campos attempted to score from second base, but a laser throw from center field by Fox was on time to
Justin Kunz at the plate to apply the tag and record the second out of the inning.
Brian Kelly would later drive in the first run of the afternoon for Siena, connecting with a knock to left field to score Bishop.
Siena led off the top of the ninth with an infield single by Phil Madonna, and would go on to load the bases with two outs, bringing the go-ahead run to the plate in the form of Bishop.
Reliever
Jarrett Thompson would get Bishop to ground the ball to the shortstop
Taber Mongero, who recorded the force-out at second base to end the game.
Seven GWU batters each had a single base hit on the day, with Kunz (1-for-2, 2B), Fox (1-for-4, HR), and Price (1-for-4, HR) each tallying extra base hits.
The Saints had three batters with multiple hits on the afternoon, all at the top of their lineup. Joe Drpich (3-for-4), Campos (2-for-5, 2B), and Bishop (2-for-5, run) accounted for seven of their 11 base hits.
Mitchell (1-1) earned his first victory of the season, scattering four base hits in 6.0 scoreless innings and recorded four strikeouts. Thompson earned his first save of the year, tossing the final 1.1 innings, allowing four hits with two strikeouts.
Tyler Johnson threw a perfect seventh inning, while
Aaron Stewart followed with 0.2 innings on the mound, allowing one run on three base hits with one strikeout.
John Dolan (0-2) took the loss for the Saints, allowing three runs on five base hits in the first 5.0 innings of the contest. Domenic Nardone worked 2.0 innings, giving up one run on two hits, and Danny Hobbs tossed a scoreless eighth, retiring the side.
Gardner-Webb will travel approximately 30 miles south on Wednesday evening to take on Wofford at 5:00 pm at Russell C. King Field. The game will be broadcast on the SoCon Digital Network.
