BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. – The Runnin' Bulldogs split a twin bill with North Carolina State on Wednesday afternoon, earning a walk-off 6-5 win in game one, but falling 10-0 in game two.
Game One: Gardner-Webb 6, North Carolina State 5
The visiting Wolfpack took an early 2-0 lead in the second off a solo shot to right field and a sacrifice fly to left, but the Runnin' Bulldogs battled back to tie the contest in the bottom of the third.
Andria Booth walked to begin Gardner-Webb's portion of the third innings and quickly swiped second base to move into scoring position. Two walks and a hit batter scored Booth to make it a 2-1 ballgame. Two batters later,
Weslyn Almond came home on a wild pitch, tying things up at two, after three complete innings.
The game remained tied until the bottom of the fifth when the Runnin' Bulldogs used two walks and two hits to take a 4-2 lead.
After Almond and
Katie Prebble walked to start the inning,
Kaylee Wacaster singled and advanced to second on the throw. Wacaster's single moved Prebble to third and scored Almond, putting Gardner-Webb in front, 3-2.
Lauren Huffman added to the Runnin' Bulldogs' lead with an RBI single of her own, and after five innings, Gardner-Webb led by a pair of runs.
Despite trailing, the Wolfpack battled pack in the top of the seventh to take a 5-4 lead over the 'Dogs with Gardner-Webb having just one last chance to earn the victory.
K. Wacaster had win on her mind in the seventh, as she started things off with a double down the left field line.
Rachel Cumiskey then evened the score at five with an RBI single and advanced to second on the throw attempting to tag out Wacaster.
Cumiskey found herself just 60 feet from ending the contest with
Katie Stettler in the batter's box. With one out, Stettler hit a sacrifice fly to center field, sending Cumiskey home and giving the 'Dogs a 6-5 victory.
Ashley Wark (9-5) earned the win for Gardner-Webb, pitching her fourth complete game of the season. She gave up eight hits and five runs, three of which were earned. Brittany Nimmo (1-1) pitched 2.2 innings and received the loss for North Carolina State.
Booth and K.Wacaster both recorded two hits in the opening game. Booth scored a pair of runs, while Wacaster batted in two runners.
Game Two: North Carolina State 10, Gardner-Webb 0
Game two did not go in Gardner-Webb's favor as the Wolfpack scored a combined nine runs in two innings en route to a 10-0 victory.
NC State plated a run in the top of the first, obtaining a 1-0 advantage early, and despite Almond getting into scoring position in the bottom of the frame, the Runnin' Bulldogs could not manage any runs.
Gardner-Webb again managed to get runners on the base paths in the bottom of the second, with Huffman getting as far as third on
Jenna Wacaster's two-out single. The 'Dogs again left runners on base, unable to send anyone home.
The floodgates opened for the Wolfpack in the top of the third, as they used four hits – three singles and a double – in addition to a walk and an error, to score five runs. After three innings, NC State led by a 6-0 score.
The Runnin' Bulldogs got runners on first and second in the bottom of the third and fifth innings respectively, but were held scoreless.
In the top of the seventh, an RBI groundout, sacrifice fly and two-run home run gave NC State an additional four runs and a 10-0 lead.
Callie Thornton's walk in the bottom of the seventh was all Gardner-Webb managed, and the 'Dogs fell, 10-0, in six innings.
Sam Harrell (1-1) took the loss for the GWU, giving up six runs in 2.1 innings of work. The Wolfpack's Harli Hubbard pitched six shutout innings and struck out six.
The Runnin' Bulldogs are now 14-10 overall entering conference play this weekend against Campbell.
