BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. – The Runnin' Bulldogs lost the first two games of the Big South softball series to Longwood on Saturday, falling 7-1 in game one, and 9-7 in an extra innings battle in game two.
Game One: Longwood 7, Gardner-Webb 1
The opening game of the Big South Conference series between the Runnin' Bulldogs and Lancers of Longwood was quiet through the top of the fifth inning, as neither team managed to score.
For Gardner-Webb (28-25, 8-11 BSC), Andria Booth got aboard in the first via an error, but was left stranded to end the end the inning.
Longwood (33-14, 15-4 BSC) got the first hit of the game in the second, but senior pitcher Ashley Wark got a fly out to center field to end the inning.
In the bottom of the second, a one-out double by senior Maddi Johnson, followed by Lauren Huffman drawing a walk, gave the 'Dogs two runners on, but a foul out ended the inning.
In the third, both teams had a runner just 60 feet from home but were unable to break the scoreless ball game.
Longwood's bats came alive just two innings later, as the Lancers scored seven runs in the inning.
The Lancers scored five runs on singles in the top of the fifth, while the final two runners scored via Kelsey Sweeney's two-run home run to center field.
Sweeney gave Longwood a 7-0 lead over the Runnin' Bulldogs after four and a half innings.
Gardner-Webb went down in order to end the fifth, while Madi Lewis, who came on in relief of Wark, retired three straight Longwood batters to begin the sixth.
Katie Prebble singled in the bottom of the sixth, but a double play killed GWU's momentum.
Lewis held Longwood scoreless in the top of the seventh, and Gardner-Webb scored its only run of the contest in the bottom of the inning.
In the bottom of the seventh, Huffman hit a one-out double to right field and was replaced by senior pinch runner Allie Barrick.
Barrick moved to third on a bunt single off the bat of Weslyn Almond and came home on a fielder's choice by Jenna Wacaster. A double play ended the inning as the Dogs dropped game one, 7-1.
Longwood's Sydney Gay (23-9) won her 23rd contest of the year, pitching five innings of two-hit softball. Gay struck out four and walked one.
Wark (16-15) received the loss. The senior threw five innings and gave up seven earned runs on ten hits. Lewis threw two scoreless innings in relief.
Five different Runnin' Bulldogs recorded a hit in the loss.
Game Two: Longwood 9, Gardner-Webb 7 (10 innings)
Game two was a high scoring affair with the two squads combining for 16 runs on 30 hits over 10 innings of play.
Gardner-Webb (28-26, 8-12 BSC) took a two-run lead in the first.
With Booth and Prebble on second and third respectively, Kaylee Wacaster's single up the middle plated GWU's first run of the game.
After Wacaster stole second, Johnson's sacrifice fly scored Booth, giving the Runnin' Bulldogs a 2-0 lead.
Longwood (34-14, 16-4 BSC) used an RBI single in the top of the first and solo home run in the third to tie the game at two, but Huffman quickly broke the tie.
With two outs and Prebble in scoring position, Huffman doubled to right center field, once again giving Gardner-Webb the lead.
Senior Rachel Cumiskey extended the Runnin' Bulldogs' advantage to two runs, 4-2, with an RBI single to left field.
In the fourth, each team scored via an RBI single, and Gardner-Webb held a 5-3 lead after four complete innings of action.
The score remained unchanged until the two teams combined for four runs in the sixth inning.
Longwood took its first lead of the game, 6-5, thanks to a three-RBI double, while Prebble tied the contest with an RBI double to left center filed in the bottom of the inning.
Both pitchers faced four batters in the seventh, and with the contest tied at six, the final game of the day went to extra innings.
In the seventh and eighth innings, neither the Runnin' Bulldogs or Lancers managed a base runner.
Longwood hit just a two-out single in the ninth, and Gardner-Webb went three-up, three-down in the bottom of the inning.
The Lancers broke the tie in the 10th, using an RBI double, groundout and sacrifice fly to take only its second lead of the day, 9-6.
In the bottom of the inning, J. Wacaster singled after drawing a walk and moved to third on a groundout.
Katie Stettler's single scored Wacaster, pulling the 'Dogs within a pair of runs, 9-7, but Stettler was thrown out trying to reach second, ending the contest.
Longwood's Gay (24-9) pitched seven innings in relief and received the win. For Gardner-Webb, Laken Myers left after one inning, and was replaced by senior Sam Harrell, who threw the final nine innings.
Harrell (4-6) took the loss, giving up eight runs on 12 hits.
At the plate, five players – Prebble, Booth, K. Wacaster, Stettler and Cumiskey – all had a multi-hit day. Prebble led Gardner-Webb with four hits and two RBIs.
The 'Dogs will look to get back in the win column tomorrow. The third game of the series and Gardner-Webb's final regular season contest, is set for 2 p.m.
