BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. –
Taber Mongero connected with a RBI base hit to left field with two outs in the bottom of the fifth to break a 6-6 tie as Gardner-Webb went on to earn a 9-6 victory over the visiting Winthrop Eagles in Big South Conference play on Friday night.
Gardner-Webb (18-14, 5-5 Big South) surrendered five runs to Winthrop (14-17, 7-3 Big South) in the top of the fifth inning to tie the game at 6-6, with three of the runs coming on bases-loaded walks.
The 'Dogs bounced back in the bottom half of the inning.
Eric Jones connected with a base hit through the left side with one out, followed by a single sent back up the middle by
Luke Kaesmeyer to put runners on first and second.
Mongero later stepped up with two outs and with a 3-1 count, ripped a single to deep left field to plate Jones from second base to give GWU a 7-6 lead.
Gardner-Webb scored a pair of insurance runs in the seventh. Jones led off the frame with a base knock to right field and later scored on a throwing error by Winthrop first baseman Tyler Halstead. Mongero sent the final run of the evening across the plate on a sacrifice fly ball to deep center field.
Winthrop attempted to come back in the top of the ninth. Mitch Spires led off with a double to center field, and with one out, Dillon Morton drew a four-pitch walk to bring the potential tying run to the plate in Cale Gibson.
GWU went to its bullpen to bring in
Jarrett Thompson, who got Gibson to hit a line drive to
Ben LaSpaluto at shortstop, who quickly ran over to second base to get Spires out to end the game on a double play.
Gardner-Webb jumped out to an early 5-0 lead after two innings. Jones sent the first two runs of the evening across the plate on a double to the right field gap with two outs in the bottom of the first, which was followed up by a RBI single up the middle by Kaesmeyer.
Mason Fox belted a two-run blast to left field with one out in the bottom of the second inning, his fourth home run of the season.
GWU collected 16 hits throughout the evening, led by Fox (3-for-5, HR, 3 RBI) and Jones (3-for-5, 2B, 2 RBI, 3 runs).
The Eagles had eight base hits, with Spires (2-for-4, 2B, RBI), Halstead (2-for-4, 2B, 2 RBI) and Alex Raines (2-for-4) leading the way.
Wil Sellers (3-1) earned the win for the Diamond 'Dogs, working four innings in relief, allowing no runs on five base hits with four strikeouts.
Langdon Wilson lasted 4.1 innings in his first career start, giving up three earned runs on three hits with three strikeouts. Thompson recorded the final two outs of the contest to earn his sixth save of 2018.
Nate Pawelczyk (3-4) took the loss for Winthrop, giving up seven runs on 12 base hits with seven strikeouts in 5.0 innings of work. Daniel Willcutt tossed the final 3.0 innings, giving up two runs on four hits with three strikeouts.
The two teams will face off again tomorrow evening at 6:00 pm, four hours later than the original 2:00 pm start time due to forecasted rain showers early Saturday afternoon.
