BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. – Gardner-Webb rapped out 10 hits and scored five runs in the middle innings to beat Michigan State 7-3 Saturday afternoon at John Henry Moss Stadium and Bill Masters Field.
The Runnin' Bulldogs (3-4) won their second in a row over the Big Ten.
Sophomore southpaw
Tyler Switalski (1-1) worked 5.0 innings for the win, keeping the hot-hitting Spartans (4-2) scoreless and off balance for 4.2 innings. Gardner-Webb's bats – and defense – did the rest, with six of the 10 hits going for extra bases and two double plays turned.
The Runnin' Bulldogs wasted little time going out in front for good when
Curtis Robison drilled his first home run of the season to right field with one out in the bottom of the first. Robison delivered again in the third, following a double from
AJ Solomon with a deep sacrifice fly to dead center for a 2-0 lead.
Gardner-Webb pushed its lead to 5-0 in the fourth, getting a leadoff single from
Jacob McCaskey to start a rally.
Mark Black walked and Pete Capobianco nearly left the yard with a shot to right center – but the ball fell in for a double that plated McCaskey.
Nate Anderson stepped in with a sharp triple into right field to clear the bases for a 5-0 lead.
Michigan State finally got its bats going with two outs in the fourth, touching the plate three times to tighten the score. Gardner-Webb padded its lead in the bottom half, getting a two-out single from Black and a long two-run home run from
Bo Rusher III for a 7-3 lead that would hold.
Switalski came out for the sixth, but the call went to the bullpen when the first two runners reached base.
Grant Vera recorded two quick strikeouts and a ground ball to end the threat, and
Connor Maggi came on to pitch the final three innings to end the game.
Switalski was sharp, scattering six hits and striking out six with two walks and three runs allowed for the win. Vera struck out a pair in his inning of work, and Maggi allowed just one hit in three scoreless frames with a pair of strikeouts – earning his first save of the season.
McCaskey (2-for-4) and Rusher (2-for-3, HR, 2 RBI) each had a pair of Gardner-Webb's 10 hits, with
Jacob Marcos (1-for-4), Robison (1-for-4, HR, 2 RBI), Black (1-for-3), Capobianco (1-for-4, 2B, RBI), Anderson (1-for-4, 3B, 2 RBI) and Solomon (1-for-2, 2B) collecting hits.
Michigan State had seven hits in the game, led by Mitch Webb and Brock Vrandeburg with two each.
Noah Matheny (0-2) took the loss, allowing four runs on four hits in 3.0 innings of work.
Gardner-Webb will close out its busy weekend on Sunday, hosting Toledo at 1:00 pm. Tickets are available online at GWUSports.com for $5. Michigan State plays at Presbyterian to wrap up its weekend road trip on Sunday afternoon.
