RADFORD, Va. – With a 12-4 loss to the No. 4 seeded Campbell Fighting Camels in the Friday night elimination game at the Big South Conference tournament, the Gardner-Webb Runnin' Bulldogs' softball season came to end.
Gardner-Webb finished the year with a 29-29 overall record. Campbell now stands at 30-26 overall.
Gardner-Webb started with all the momentum. For the second straight game, the 'Dogs scored runs in the opening inning.
Andria Booth began the game with a leadoff triple and scored on a single through the left side by
Katie Stettler.
Stettler's RBI put the Runnin' Bulldogs on the scoreboard, and
Rachel Cumiskey's sacrifice fly scored the Runnin' Bulldogs' second and final run of the first inning.
Gardner-Webb's lead was short lived, as Campbell used a two-RBI double to tie the game in its half of the first. The Fighting Camels then took the lead when Lizabeth McCurry scored as Katie Manring was caught stealing.
After one complete inning, Campbell led, 3-2.
In the second, both teams left one runner stranded, and the following inning,
Maddi Johnson hit her second home run of the season, a solo homer to center field. Johnson's home run evened the score at three after the top of the second.
The tie did not last long as the Fighting Camels used a home run of their own to take the lead. A two-run shot put CU on top, 5-3, after three complete innings.
For Gardner-Webb,
Weslyn Almond and Booth recorded infield hits in the top of the fourth but were left stranded.
Sam Harrell entered the circle in the bottom of the frame, and despite Campbell loading the bases, induced a fly out to end the inning.
In the fifth,
Kaylee Wacaster led off with a double and reached third when
Rachel Cumiskey singled to left field.
Annamarie Warley was hit by a pitch, loading the bases for Gardner-Webb.
The 'Dogs were unable to push across any runs, as a pop out ended the top of the inning with the Fighting Camels still in front, 5-3. Harrell pitched her second scoreless inning in the bottom of the frame.
Gardner-Webb pulled within a run in the top of the sixth, 5-4, as an RBI groundout by K. Wacaster plated
Katie Stettler. With Cumiskey up to bat,
Katie Prebble was thrown out trying to advance home on a wild pitch.
Unfortunately for GWU, Campbell scored five runs in the bottom of the inning, using a two-run single and three-run home run to take a 10-4 lead.
The Fighting Camels scored the final two runs of the inning to end the contest after 5.2 innings and earn the 12-4 victory.
Haley Hutchins (9-6) earned the win for the Fighting Camels. Hutchins threw 5.1 innings and gave up four earned runs.
Ashley Wark (17-17) was the losing pitcher. Wark spent 3.2 innings in the circle and surrendered five earned runs.
At the plate, Booth (3-for-4) and K. Wacaster (2-for-4) led the Runnin' Bulldogs.
Gardner-Webb's season is now complete. Campbell will play Longwood tomorrow, May 11, at 12 noon EST in its second straight elimination game.
