GREENVILLE, S.C. – The Gardner-Webb Runnin' Bulldogs six-game win streak was snapped by the Furman Paladins on Wednesday afternoon. Gardner-Webb fell 8-7 in game one and 10-2 in the second contest.
Game One: Furman 8, Gardner-Webb 7
Furman began the first contest of the twin bill by scoring four runs in the first and adding an additional run in the bottom of the second to take a 5-0 lead after two complete innings.
Katie Stettler recorded the Runnin' Bulldogs only hit of the first two innings, a single through the left side of the infield in the top of the first.
Gardner-Webb (20-13) battled back in its half of the third, scoring a pair of runs.
Weslyn Almond began the inning with a double down the left field line and advanced to third when
Trinity Sterrett walked.
Almond came home on another wild pitch, while Sterrett was batted in via Stetter's single up the middle. After three, the Runnin' Bulldogs trailed, 5-2.
In the bottom of the third,
Ashley Wark forced the Paladins (23-6) to leave a pair of runners on base by striking out Lauren Duggar, but Gardner-Webb was unable to cut into Furman's lead in the top of the fourth.
Katie Prebble hit her 15
th home run of the season in the following inning, which pulled Gardner-Webb within three runs, 6-3.
The top of the sixth saw the Runnin' Bulldogs score three runs to pull even with Furman.
Rachel Cumiskey led off with a single, before
Maddi Johnson walked, giving the 'Dogs two runners on with no outs.
Pinch hitter
Jenna Wacaster doubled, scoring Cumiskey and Johnson and making it a 6-5 game. Almond's sacrifice fly tied the game.
Furman added two runs in the bottom of the inning, and Runnin' Bulldogs began comeback attempt in the top of the seventh.
Prebble's RBI double made it a one-run game, 8-7, with no outs. She advanced to third when
Kaylee Wacaster flew out to center field, but back-to-back strikeouts ended the game with Furman earning the one-run victory.
Ashley Wark (12-8) pitched all six innings for the 'Dogs and gave up eight runs (four earned), while striking out five batters. Furman's Emily Demonte (9-0) received the win, and Lindsey Bert (2) earned the save.
Stettler (3-for-4, RBI, run) led Gardner-Webb at the plate.
Game Two: Furman 10, Gardner-Webb 2 (5 innings)
Furman scored six runs in the top of the first inning, as the Runnin' Bulldogs found themselves with an uphill climb after the opening inning.
Prebble recorded the 'Dogs (20-14) first hit of the contest by belting her second home run of the day and 16
th of the season over the left field fence in the third. Prebble's two-run shot made it a four-run contest in favor of the Paladins, 6-2.
Furman (24-6) belted two straight home runs in the bottom of the third to re-take a six-run lead, 8-2.
In the top of following inning, Cumiskey and Johnson walked to give GWU runners on first and second. After two 'Dogs were retired, Sterrett singled for Gardner-Webb's second hit of the game, but a strikeout ended the inning.
The Paladins pushed its lead to eight runs, 10-2, in the top of the fifth.
J. Wacaster reached base on a muffed throw by the first baseman to start the fifth, and Prebble followed with a walk. Wacaster would reach third, but the Runnin' Bulldogs were unable to score and fell, 10-2, in five innings.
Sam Harrell (3-2) took the loss for Gardner-Webb, spending 0.2 innings in the circle and giving up six runs (five earned). Lindsey Bert (15-4) earned the win for the Paladins.
The Runnin' Bulldogs will return to action next weekend at Liberty. Game one of the three-game Big South Conference series is set for Friday, March 30 at 6 p.m.
