SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Gardner-Webb scored three runs in the eighth inning to come back from a two-run deficit, taking a 7-6 win at USC Upstate in Big South Conference action on Saturday afternoon.
Trailing USC Upstate (11-15, 2-6 Big South), 6-4, after seven innings, GWU (12-11, 4-4 Big South) saw its offense spark back to life with two outs.
Mitch McLendon reached base via a walk to bring up
Colton Sakamoto, who belted his first home run of the season to center field to tie the game.
The Runnin' Bulldogs would reclaim the lead in the following at-bat as
Chris Clary connected with his first home run of the year, going over the center field wall.
Gardner-Webb stifled the Spartans' bats in over the following two innings, allowing just one base hit to preserve the win.
GWU jumped out to a quick 3-0 lead in the top of the first, scoring on a RBI single by
Corey Howard and a two-RBI knock by
Ben Rowdon.
USC Upstate got on the board in the bottom of the first on a sacrifice fly by G Wallace and later in the frame Andres Kim scored on a wild pitch to set the score at 3-2.
The 'Dogs scored once more in the second as an error by Upstate first baseman Stone Pellegrino allowed Clary to reach home safely.
The Spartans tied the game in the bottom of the fifth on a two-run home run to right field by Jeff Taylor, and would later take the lead in the bottom of the seventh on Taylor's second two-run home run of the day.
Gardner-Webb had nine base hits on the afternoon, with Howard (2-for-5, RBI) and
Ben LaSpaluto (2-for-4) having multiple-hit outings.
USC Upstate totaled 12 hits, with J.J. Shimko (4-for-5) and Taylor (3-for-3, 2 HR, 4 RBI) leading that effort.
Langdon WIlson (3-3) earned the win on the mound for GWU, working the seventh inning, surrendering a pair of runs on one hit with one strikeout. Starter
Aaron Stewart recorded only two outs, allowing a pair of runs on three base hits and also giving up two walks.
Landon Mitchell worked a solid 5.1 innings from the bullpen, giving up two runs on seven hits with a pair of strikeouts.
Jarrett Thompson recorded his fifth save of the year, tossing the final two scoreless frames, allowing just one base hit.
Sean Hupp (1-3) was saddled with the loss for the Spartans, allowing three runs on five hits with eight strikeouts in 5.2 innings of work from the bullpen. Starter Trey Van Der Weide lasted two innings, giving up four runs, three earned, on four hits with two strikeouts. Will Wheeler recorded the final four outs, allowing no hits with one strikeout.
The weekend series wraps up tomorrow afternoon at 1:00 pm at Cleveland S. Harley Park.
