HAMPTON, Va. – Callie Thornton batted in four runs in two games, with a two-RBI triple in game one and two-run single in game two, as the Runnin' Bulldogs split Saturday's Big South doubleheader with the Hampton Pirates.
Game One: Gardner-Webb 3, Hampton 8
Gardner-Webb (28-24, 7-15 Big South) got on the board with three runs in the second inning, but during their five four frames, the Runnin' Bulldogs could not score, and five-run sixth inning helped Hampton take the lead for good en route to the win.
In the top of the second, Meredith Ferguson reached on a fielder's choice, and Madi Lewis singled, giving the 'Dogs two on and one out. Thornton's two-RBI triple put the Runnin' Bullodgs in front, and she scored when Almond singled, giving GWU a 3-0 lead. Andria Booth would get Gardner-Webb's final hit of the inning, but the 'Dogs left two stranded.
Hampton (23-21, 7-15 Big South) tied the game with three runs in the bottom of the third. Brooke Perry, who broke the GWU's single-season strikeout record and now has 216 strikeouts this season, surrendered a leadoff home run to Sarah Kollas and a two-RBI base hit by Kial Watts helped the Pirates pull even with Gardner-Webb.
Gardner-Webb threatened in the fifth when Almond and Jenna Wacaster both singled, but the pair was left stranded to end the top of the inning.
Hampton went down in order in its half of the fifth, and Gardner-Webb managed only a single in its portion of the sixth inning before the Pirates' bats came to life in the bottom of the frame.
A fielder's choice with one out put the Pirates in front, 4-3, before a an RBI single and two-RBI double gave the home team a four-run lead, 7-3. Hampton scored its final run of the inning when Taylor Warrick scored on a passed ball, and at the end of the six innings, the Pirates led, 8-3.
Facing a five-run deficit, Gardner-Webb was unable to comeback and succumbed to the Pirates. Perry took the loss, giving up eight earned runs in 5.1 innings. She threw 100 pitches during her time in the circle and struck out six while walking three. Hampton's Allyson Babinsack threw a complete game and allowed three earned runs while fanning eight.
Thornton led Gardner-Webb at the plate with a 2-for-3 day and two runs batted in. Almond and Autumn Owen both went 2-for-4. For Hampton, Warrick was 2-for-4 with a pair of RBI.
Game Two: Gardner-Webb 11, Hampton 3
Owen's RBI double gave the Runnin' Bulldogs the early lead, but it was not until the top of the fifth that Gardner-Webb would take the lead and maintain it defeated Hampton, 11-3, to split Saturday's doubleheader.
Hampton (23-22, 7-16 Big South) scored in the bottom of the second and third innings to a take a 2-1 lead before Ferguson's RBI single in the top of the third scored Kaylee Wacaster and tied the game.
The Pirates would score what would be their final run of the contest in the third inning, and led, 3-2, until Gardner-Webb's half of the fifth.
Thornton led off the fifth for the Runnin' Bulldogs and singled before moving to second and on a passed ball and third when Booth singled. The senior infielder scored on the second passed ball of the inning, which helped Gardner-Webb tie the contest. The next batter, Almond, gave the 'Dogs the lead for good when she belted a two-run home run over the left field fence.
Gardner-Webb (29-24, 8-15 Big South) scored its fourth run of the fifth inning when Owen scored on Annamarie Warley's sacrifice fly to give the visitors a 6-3 advantage.
Reah Barger forced Hampton to strand a pair of runners in the fifth, and both teams went down in order in the sixth inning before the Runnin' Bulldogs added five runs to their tally in the seventh.
The first three batters all reached for Gardner-Webb as Almond and Owen singled, while J. Wacaster reached on an error, loading the bases for the 'Dogs. With nobody out, an RBI single by K. Wacaster, helped GWU take a four-run lead. Wacaster's RBI single tied the Runnin' Bulldogs' career RBI record of 216. Her RBI single was followed by Warley's two-RBI base hit up the middle which extended Gardner-Webb's lead to 9-3.
Warley stole second, and despite two consecutive outs, Thornton pushed the 'Dogs' run total to double-digits with a single to left field, which scored Wacaster and Warley. Gardner-Webb led by eight, 11-3, after its half of the seventh, and Barger got a 1-2-3 inning to end the game and allow the Runnin' Bulldogs to split the doubleheader.
Barger threw a complete game in the win and struck out three. Hampton's Allie Hotetz took the loss. Hotetz spent six innings in the circle and gave up 13 hits and two walks, which led to all 11 runs (10 earned).
Owen (3-for-4, 2 RBI), Almond (2-for-4, 2 RBI) and Thornton (2-for-4, 2 RBI) all recorded multiple hits and batted in a pair of runs for the Runnin' Bulldogs, while Hampton's DaSha Hill (2-for-3) and Brianna Anderson (2-for-3) each had two hits for the Pirates.
The rubber match, which is the season finale for Gardner-Webb, will take place tomorrow at 1 p.m.
