Boone, N.C. – Autumn Owen had a career day with three home runs in a doubleheader against Appalachian State, as Gardner-Webb split the twinbill, falling 4-2 in game one, but winning the finale, 9-6.

Game One: Gardner-Webb 2, Appalachian State 4

Three runs in the top of the first inning propelled the Appalachian State Mountaineers to a 4-2 victory, as the Gardner-Webb Runnin' Bulldogs were unable to engineer a seventh inning rally.

The Mountaineers used a pair of hits – a single and double – to score two runs, while a third scored on an error as the GWU defense tried to throw out a runner at second base.

Appalachian State added its final run in the bottom of the third to take a 4-0 lead.

The Runnin' Bulldogs got their first hit in the top of the fourth – a single from Kaylee Wacaster – and got on the scoreboard in the top of the next inning.

In the fifth, Owen led off with a home run to center field to cut Appalachian State's lead to 4-1.

With two outs, back-to-back doubles helped the Runnin' Bulldogs slice into the Mountaineers' lead again.

Weslyn Almond doubled to right center field and came around to score when Trinity Sterrett doubled to the opposite side of the outfield.

Brooke Perry got out of the sixth inning and forced the Mountaineers to strand a runner just 60 feet from home before GWU attempted a comeback in the top of the seventh.

With one out, Gardner-Webb had runners on the corners with Meredith Ferguson on first and Owen on third. Almond's single loaded the bases but two straight strikeouts ended game one in favor of the Mountaineers, 4-2.

Appalachian State's Kenzie Longanecker earned the win. She threw a complete game and gave up two earned runs but struck out six batters. Perry took the loss for the 'Dogs in a complete game effort. The redshirt sophomore surrendered four runs on four hits.

Gardner-Webb managed six hits at the plate and were led by Almond's 2-for-3 day. Owen and Sterrett batted in the Runnin' Bulldogs runs. 

Game Two: Gardner-Webb 9, Appalachian State, 6

Autumn Owen hit two home runs, helping Gardner-Webb split the doubleheader with Appalachian State thanks to a 9-6 victory in the night cap.

Although Owen cracked a pair of bombs, it was Perry who gave Gardner-Webb the lead, which it never relinquished, with a two-RBI single in the top of the first.

Appalachian State hit a solo home run in the bottom of the inning, but four runs in the third, including a home run by Owen, helped Gardner-Webb take a 5-1 lead.

With one out and K. Wacaster on second thanks to her leadoff double, Owen smashed a ball over the center field fence for the 'Dogs' first home run of the inning.

Three batters later, Almond came to the plate with two outs and Lauren Huffman on first and hit Gardner-Webb's' second two-run bomb. Almond's home run gave Gardner-Webb a 5-1 lead.

The Mountaineers cut one run of Gardner-Webb's advantage in the fifth before both teams plated multiple runs in the sixth inning.

Andria Booth and Annamarie Warley both walked to give the 'Dogs a pair of runners on and nobody out. After the next two batters were retired, Owen stepped to the plate and hit the fourth pitch of her at-bat over the center field fence. Her second homer of the game and third of the doubleheader gave the Runnin' Bulldogs a 9-2 lead.

Gardner-Webb's large lead did not last long, as Appalachian State used four hits and a pair of walks to score four runs in its half of the sixth. The Mountaineers' first hit went for extra bases and the final three hits – all singles – plated four runs.

After the 'Dogs went down in order in the top of the seventh, Perry, who entered in relief of Laken Myers an inning earlier, got of a bases loaded jam with back-to-back strikeouts.

The Runnin' Bulldogs held on to the 9-6 lead and won their 15^th game of the season. The 'Dogs are now 15-9 overall. Appalachian State dropped to 14-7.

Myers (5-3) earned the win. She spent 5.1 innings in the circle and gave up six runs, all earned. Perry pitched the final 1.2 innings in relief, surrendering two hits. Sydney Holland (5-5) threw 3.1 innings and gave up four runs (three earned) in the loss.

Owen (3-for-4, 5 RBI) led the Runnin' Bulldogs at the plate, and Booth (2-for-4) and Meredith Ferguson (2-for-4) both had a  multi-hit game. Haley Stewart went 3-for-4 for the Mountaineers, while two players –Morgan Russell and Megan Walker – had a multi-hit game for the home team.

Gardner-Webb will be idle over the weekend and will play a non-conference doubleheader at North Carolina Central on Wednesday, March 20. First pitch is set for 1 p.m. from Durham, N.C.