BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. – In the third and final game of the Big South Conference series between the Gardner-Webb Runnin' Bulldogs and Longwood Lancers, the Lancers scored four runs in the final inning to earn the 6-2 victory.
Longwood (35-14, 17-4 BSC) struck first, scoring one run in the top of the first off an RBI single, but the score would remain the same, 1-0, in favor of the Lancers, until the fifth.
Gardner-Webb (28-27, 8-13 BSC) got runners on base for the first time in the bottom of the second.
Kaylee Wacaster started the inning with a single through the left side of the infield and made it to third two batters later, but a groundout ended the inning.
The Runnin' Bulldogs went down in order in the third, and Katie Prebble was GWU's lone base runner in the fourth. Prebble drew a one-out walk, her 28th of the year.
In the fifth, an RBI single with two outs allowed the Lancers to extend their advantage to 2-0, but the Runnin' Bulldogs cut the visitors lead in half in the bottom of the inning.
With two outs in Gardner-Webb's half of the fifth, Weslyn Almond drew a four-pitch walk and Jenna Wacaster singled, giving the 'Dogs two runners on base.
Andria Booth loaded the bases, singling through the left side, bringing Katie Stettler to the plate.
Stettler's hit fell in the middle of the infield and allowed Almond to score.
With one runner already having crossed the plate, J. Wacaster was thrown out in a rundown trying to reach home, ending the inning. After five complete innings, the Runnin' Bulldogs trailed, 2-1.
In the top of the sixth, Ashley Wark allowed only a single, and in the bottom of the inning, Lauren Huffman's RBI single to left field tied the contest at two.
Unfortunately for Gardner-Webb, Longwood would break the tie in the seventh and final inning, scoring four runs to take a 6-2 lead.
After an RBI double put the Lancers in front, they scored three additional runs thanks to a pair of home runs and held a 6-2 advantage after the top of the inning.
With the Runnin' Bulldogs down to their final three outs, Booth drew a one-out walk, but a double play ended the contest, with Longwood earning the 6-2 win and series sweep.
LWU's Sydney Backstrom (11-5) won her 11th game of the year, throwing six innings and surrendering two runs on two hits. Ashley Wark (16-16) took the loss and spent 6.2 innings in the circle. Wark gave up six runs (two earned).
K. Wacaster was the only Runnin' Bulldog to have a multi-hit day. Stettler and Huffman each batted in a run for Gardner-Webb.
Gardner-Webb will be idle next week before beginning play at the Big South Conference tournament.
The tournament will be held on the campus of Radford University from Wednesday, May 9 through Saturday, May 12.
Seedings for the tournament will be announced on Sunday, May 6.
