HIGH POINT, N.C.- After waiting a full day due to Mother Nature, the Gardner-Webb baseball team took both ends of Sunday's doubleheader at High Point to complete the Big South Conference series sweep.
Gardner-Webb improves to 7-9 overall and 6-4 in Big South play, while High Point falls to 8-12 on the year and 6-8 in league action.
GAME ONE
Gardner-Webb plated one run in the top of the eighth inning to take a 5-4 win in the first game of Sunday's doubleheader.
With the scored tied at 4-4,
Keiji Parkhurst led off the frame by drawing a four-pitch walk. He was able to advance to third as a fielding error by HPU first baseman Cole Singsank allowed
Dom Peroni to reach, setting up a sacrifice fly by
Bo Rusher to give the 'Dogs a 5-4 lead.
High Point jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the game, scoring one in the bottom of the second on a RBI knock by Justin Ebert and once more in the third as a fielding error by GWU second baseman
Eric Jones allowed Joe Johnson to score.
The Runnin' Bulldogs answered in the top of the fifth.
Cam Pearcey led off the frame with a base hit up the middle, setting up a two-run home run to the right field gap by
Mitch McLendon to tie the game.
GWU claimed the lead later in the fifth on a RBI base hit by
Joe Simone.
Gardner-Webb pushed its lead to 4-2 in the top of the seventh inning.
Jacob Marcos led off with a base hit through the right side, and later scored on a sac fly by
Ben LaSpaluto.
High Point responded in the bottom of the seventh, loading the bases and scoring as Peyton Carr was hit by a pitch and Singsank drew a walk, tying the game at 4-4.
Gardner-Webb totaled nine base hits throughout the game, paced by Marcos (2-for-3, 2B), Pearcey (2-for-3), and LaSpaluto (2-for-4, RBI).
HPU totaled six base hits, led by Johnson (2-for-5, 2B) and Ebert (2-for-3, RBI).
Sebasten Boivin earned his first win of the season, working 1.2 scoresless frames, allowing no base hits with one strikeout. Starter
Bobby Alcock lasted 2.1 innings, allowing a pair of runs on two base hits. Landon Wilson tossed the ninth, allowing no runs on one base hit to record his second save of 2021.
Parker Dean took the loss for the Panthers, hurling the final three frames, allowing one run on one hit with one strikeout. Starter Grey Lyttle lasted three innings, allowing no runs on two hits with five strikeouts.
The first game of the doubleheader began Saturday afternoon at 1:00 pm and was halted in the bottom of the third due to thunderstorms that rolled through the region throughout Saturday afternoon and evening.
Play resumed Sunday afternoon at noon after a delay of 22 hours and 7 minutes.
GAME TWO
Gardner-Webb flexed its power at the plate in Sunday's nightcap, using two home runs to go on to a 5-3 win.
The Runnin' Bulldogs jumped out to an immediate 1-0 lead, as Pearcey belted a solo home run to left field with two outs in the top of the first.
GWU expanded its lead in the top of the third inning. With one out, McLendon reached on a walk, followed by a ground-rule double by LaSpaluto to put a pair or runners in scoring position.
That set up a sacrifice fly for Pearcey, followed by a two-run shot to left field by Parkhurst, giving GWU a 4-0 lead.
High Point scored its first run of the contest in the bottom of the fifth as Ryan Russell was able to score while Tyler Leach was caught trying to steal second base.
The 'Dogs added one more run in the top of the sixth on a RBI single up the middle by Peroni, setting the score at 5-1.
Neither team scratched again until the bottom of the ninth inning, as Russell connected with a two-run home run with two outs to pull HPU within two runs of tying the game, but GWU pitcher
Kyle Ruehlman was able to stifle the High Point threat, recording the final out to give the Runnin' Bulldogs the series sweep.
GWU totaled five hits in the contest.
High Point collected nine hits, paced by Carr (2-for-3) and Cameron Irvine (2-for-4)
Ruehlman went the distance for the 'Dogs, earning his first win of the season. He scattered nine base hits, allowing three runs while recording one strikeout.
Chris Apecechea took the loss for the Panthers, giving up four runs on three base hits with one strikeout in three innings of work in the start.
Gardner-Webb steps out of conference play Tuesday for a midweek battle at No. 25 South Carolina. First pitch is set for 7:00 pm at Founders Park with live coverage on SEC Network + (WatchESPN.com / ESPN App).
