BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. – Gardner-Webb had its best offensive production of the season on Sunday afternoon, using 15 hits to fuel a 12-5 win over Dartmouth in the series finale.
The Runnin' Bulldogs (4-9) sent 10 batters to the plate in the first inning and scored six runs to take early control of the game. Gardner-Webb had seven hits in the frame, with
Jacob Marcos' hustling for a leadoff double to start the rally.
Marcos stole third, the scored on a wild pitch before the first out was recorded.
Peter Capobianco hit a ball deep in the hole and legged out a single, then
Curtis Robison hit a single up the middle to put runners on the corner. Robison swiped second base, then
Alec Burns made the score 2-0 with a sacrifice fly.
Bo Rusher III followed with a sharp RBI single to right for a 3-0 lead, then
Benino Mendella reached on a bunt single to keep the inning going.
AJ Jones' single through the right side on a sharply hit grounder loaded the bases and
Trevor Mattson pushed the lead to 5-0 with a two-run single through the left side of the infield. After a double steal,
Nick Capozzi grounded out to the shortstop to drive home Jones for a 6-0 advantage.
Capobianco led off the second and was plunked, then Robison was hit by a pitch as well to start another rally for the 'Dogs. A double play came at just the right time for Dartmouth (3-4), but Rusher stepped in a smacked an RBI double into right field for a 7-0 lead.
Dartmouth, coming off two wins on Saturday on Bill Masters Field, would not go back to New Hampshire without putting up a fight. The Big Green finally got on the board in the fourth, getting an RBI grounder from Kade Kretzschmar to cut the lead to 7-1. Centerfielder Kolton Freeman then stepped in and hammered a 2-1 pitch deep to left center for a solo shot that made it 7-2.
Tyler Robinson smashed a solo home run with one out in the fifth to cut further into the lead, but Gardner-Webb had more in the tank itself. Capozzi hit his first career home run for the 'Dogs in the bottom of the fifth, a three-run blast that plated Rusher and Mattson for a 10-3 edge.
Dartmouth wasn't done. Freeman belted another solo home run with one out in the top of the sixth and Connor Bertsch followed with a solo shot of his own – halfway up the batter's eye – to make the score 10-5. Max Zajec followed with a single up the middle, and Gardner-Webb went to the bullpen again. Michael Portella got out of the jam and the bullpen would keep the Big Green off the scoreboard the rest of the way.
Gardner-Webb padded its lead in the bottom of the eighth when Capobianco and Burns both reached on singles. Rusher walked to load the bases and Mendella roped a two-run single to center for a 12-5 margin.
Kyle Skidmore, who came on in the eighth, worked around two ninth inning singles to finish the game.
Connor Gleeson (1-1) worked an inning of relief for the win, with Portella and Skidmore combining for 3.2 scoreless frames to close out the game. Starter
Casey Young took a no decision and worked three scoreless innings before allowing three runs. He worked 4.1 innings in the start and ran his fastball up to 92 miles per hour on Sunday.
Rusher led the way offensively, going 4-for-4 with a pair of RBI to pace the 15-hit attack on offense. Marcos (2-for-5), Capobianco (2-for-4) and Mendella (2-for-5, 2 RBI) also had multiple hits on Sunday afternoon.
Dartmouth's Tyler Cortland (0-1) after allowing seven runs on nine hits through 3.0 innings of work.
The Big Green had 13 hits in the game, with Bertsch going 3-for-3 with a towering home run. Freeman (2-for-4, 2 HR), Elliot Krewson (2-for-5) and Tyler Cox (2-for-3) had two hits apiece.
Gardner-Webb will be back in action on Wednesday, hosting UNC Greensboro at 4:00 pm.
