BOILING SPRINGS – Gardner-Webb softball extended its win streak to 11 games Friday, beating North Carolina Central, 9-1, and nipping Harvard by a 4-3 score in extra innings.
The Runnin' Bulldogs (17-3) combined for 23 hits on the day.
Molly Montgomery delivered the game-winning knock in the nightcap, driving home Ashley Baker with a single in the bottom of the eighth to beat Harvard.
Gardner-Webb trailed 3-2 after the top of the fifth, but got on the board to tie the game in the bottom half.
Autumn Owen led off the frame with a triple and scored on
Brooke Perry's two-out single. The Crimson got out of the jam with the score intact, and neither team would scratch again until the eighth.
With Perry in the circle in relief, Harvard wasn't able to get anything going in its half of the eighth. Perry fanned the first two batters she faced, then got a fly ball to get her to the plate.
Baker pinch ran for Perry on second and, after a walk was draw by
Jenna Wacaster, both runners moved up a base on grounder from
Abbey Goodrum. Montgomery's one-out, RBI single proved to be the big hit Gardner-Webb needed to walk off victorious once again.
Gardner-Webb collected 10 hits in the win, led by Montgomery (2-for-4, RBI), Wacaster (2-for-3), Perry (2-for-4, RBI) and
Weslyn Almond (2-for-4, run).
Perry (8-2) picked up the win in relief – her second of the day – hurling 3.0 scoreless innings with six strikeouts and only two hits allowed.
Andrea Lyon picked up the no decision and
Laken Myers came on with 2.0 scoreless frames of middle relief.
Harvard had seven hits in the game, with leadoff hitter Trina Hoang going 2-for-4 to pace that effort. Brianna Jewett took the loss in relief.
GAME ONE: Gardner-Webb 9, N.C. Central 1 (6)
Perry was the star for Gardner-Webb in the opener as well, hurling a complete game in the circle and going 3-for-3 at the dish with a run scored.
The Runnin' Bulldogs used a six-run burst in the fourth inning to pull away, and ended the game in the sixth on a solo home run by Almond and an RBI from
Andrea Lyon.
Wacaster started things early for GWU, driving home
Kayleigh Nicholson with a groundout in the second. She followed with an RBI single in the fourth to put the 'Dogs up 2-0 and start what would be the decisive six-run rally.
Almond and Owen each had RBI triples in the fourth and Lyon put the 'Dogs up 7-0 with an RBI single.
The Eagles scored their lone run in the top of the sixth before Gardner-Webb ended the game early.
Perry worked six innings, scattered four hits and struck out five batters in a strong pitching performance.
Gardner-Webb was stout offensively, rapping out 13 hits – including five for extra bases. Almond (2-for-4, HR, 2 RBI),
Trinity Sterrett (2-for-4, RBI), Owen (2-for-3, 3B, RBI), Nicholson (2-for-3, 2 runs), and Perry (3-for-3, run) each had multiple knocks in the win.
Caroline Campbell was tagged with the loss, allowing eight earned runs on 13 hits in 5.1 innings of work for the Eagles. Four different Central batters had one hit, with Joirea Dumas driving in the lone run of the day.
Gardner-Webb will be back in action on Saturday, hosting Furman at Noon and taking on Harvard at 2:00 pm as part of the Red & Black Softball Tournament, presented by AmericInn Lodge & Suites.
