YOUNGSVILLE, LA – Gardner-Webb softball ended day 1 of the Mardi Gras Mambo 0-2 after facing Nicholls and Houston Christian.
In game 1,
Taylor Dreher hit a triple in the third to the same spot she hit an inside-the-park homerun to last weekend.
Kayleigh Nicholson singled, scoring Dreher, and putting the Runnin' Bulldogs on the board.
Kasey Fava reached first on a fielder's choice and stole second.
Annicka McLaughlin batted her over, and Fava scored on a single up the middle by
Adrienne Visintine.
In the top of the sixth,
Emily Garcia singled to left, and reached second once
Bella Ligotti was walked.
Abbey Goodrum followed with a single to load the bases. Dreher was hit by a pitch, which scored a GWU its third run of the game. Fava batted a runner in and made the score 7-4.
Nicholls would go on to score four runs in the bottom of the 6
th and make the final score 11-4.
Andrea Lyon and
Taylor Dreher had two hits each with McLaughlin, Garcia, Visintine, Nicholson, and Goodrum registering one.
Fava, Visintine, and Nicholson were awarded RBIs.
The second game would be decided by one run.
With
Andrea Lyon on the bump again, Houston Christian went three-up-three-down four straight innings after scoring three in the first.
Gardner-Webb showed some offense in the second. After Goodrum was walked, McLaughlin reached first on a bunt, and both runners advanced on an error to put runners in scoring position at the top of the order.
Visintine singled to center field scoring both runners and making the score 3-2.
Unfortunately for the Runnin' Bulldogs that would cap the game's scoring.
Kiara Kennedy had two hits in game 2 and Dreher had her second 2-hit game of the day. Visintine was awarded the 'Dogs only RBIs.
Overall, the Gardner-Webb defense took a stride in the right direction against HCU, committing just one error and holding the Huskies to three runs.
The Runnin' Bulldogs are next in action Saturday, February 18, when they will take on Southeastern Louisiana and Northwestern State in day 2 of the Mardi Gras Mambo. First pitches are set for 3:00 P.M. and 5:00 P.M. CST from the Youngsville Sports Complex.
