BOILING SPRINGS – Gardner-Webb's bats heated up quickly Saturday afternoon and the Runnin' Bulldogs cruised to a 16-5 win over Winthrop to secure the Big South series.
Alec Burns and
AJ Jones each had four hits and
Peter Capobianco belted a grand slam to spark the win for Gardner-Webb (13-22, 4-8 Big South). The Runnin' Bulldogs scored four runs in the first, five more in the second and never trailed.
Every starter collected at least one of Gardner-Webb's 17 hits in the game.
Jacob Marcos started the rally for GWU, leading off the game by legging out an infield single into the hole. He stole second and
Curtis Robison coaxed a five-pitch walk with one out. Burns was plunked to load the bases and Capobianco got a 1-2 fastball over the plate – and blasted the ball more than 400 feet to dead center off the base of the batter's eye for a 4-0 lead.
Winthrop (13-22, 7-5 Big South) scratched across two runs in the top of the second to cut the lead in half, but Gardner-Webb effectively put the game away with its big second inning.
A defensive miscue sparked that rally, as
Trevor Mattson hustled all the way to second when his high pop up was dropped for a two-base error. Jones followed with a perfect bunt for a single to put men on the corners and Marcos followed suit with another perfectly placed bunt to drive home Mattson and reach first with another infield hit.
After the Eagles recorded an out with a ground ball and with the infield playing in tight, Robison roped a two-run single up the middle for a 7-2 lead. A single from Burns and a double steal put two more in scoring position and Capobianco ran the score to 8-2 with a sacrifice fly.
Daegan Brady capped the run with an RBI single into right center for a 9-2 edge.
Winthrop plated a run on a sacrifice fly in the third, but Gardner-Webb answered with two runs in the bottom of the inning after Jones led off with a double and scored on
Alex Ray's RBI ground ball. Robison walked again, stole two bases and scored on an RBI single from Burns to put Gardner-Webb up 11-3.
Another Robison walked fueled another rally in the fifth. Burns drove him home on a sharp double into left field and
Bo Rusher III hammered a 2-2 pitch just inside the foul pole in right field for a two-run home run and a 14-3 advantage. It was Rusher's second home run of the series.
After the Eagles scored twice in the top of the sixth, Gardner-Webb was able to tack on to more runs in its final at bat with another quick burst. Mattson legged out a double that fell just inside the right field line to lead off the inning and Marcos ripped an RBI triple down the line in deep right to put the 'Dogs up 15-5. Ray capped the scoring with a sacrifice fly to left field.
Casey Young (1-2) picked up the win in relief, tossing 3.1 innings and allowing just three hits and two runs.
Connor Maggi worked 2.1 innings in his first career start, allowing three runs on five hits with a strikeout.
Huntley Hacker and
Lenny Washington closed out the game with 3.1 innings of combine scoreless relief.
Burns went 4-for-4 at the dish with three runs scored and a pair of RBI. Jones followed with a 4-for-5 day and two runs scored. Marcos finished the day by going 3-for-5 with three runs scored and Robison went 1-for-3 with four runs scored and a pair of RBI.
Winthrop starter Tyler Jones (1-5) was tagged with the loss, allowing nine runs (six earned) in 1.2 innings of work. He scattered six hits and walked two.
The Eagles managed 10 hits on Saturday, but stranded 12 men on base.
Ty Hooks (2-for-4), C.J. Conrad (2-for-5), Jonny Strauss (2-for-4) and Robby Taul (2-for-3) each had multiple hits for Winthrop.
Gardner-Webb will host USC Upstate on Wednesday night in a non-conference game. The two teams will not have a Big South series this season as part of the league's unbalanced schedule. First pitch is set for 6:00 pm.
