GREENSBORO, N.C. – Gardner-Webb dropped its two opening games of the Spartan Classic to Army and UNC Greensboro Saturday.
 
In the first game, Army took a 6-0 lead through three innings.
 
Bridgette Strobl singled in the bottom of the fourth, Meredith Wayland singled up the middle, and Kayleigh Nicholson singled to center field to load the bags. Alyssa Bonilla then singled through the left side to score two runners and bring GWU within four.
 
Unfortunately for the 'dogs, that was all the scoring they would put together in game one against the Knights.
 
Annicka McLaughlin singled on a bunt. Kayleigh Nicholson singled in the fourth. Meredith Wayland hit two singles in three at-bats after registering her first collegiate hit less than a week ago. Bridgette Strobl and Alyssa Bonilla also singled twice. Bonilla was responsible for both of GWU's RBIs.
 
Kalyn Kyle started in the circle and Alli Stidham took over in the third when she proceeded to strike out five batters down the stretch.
 
In game two Andrea Lyon returned to her pitching role.
 
Before taking the circle, however, Lyon singled through the right side to score Kasey Fava in the top of the first. Fava walked, stole second, and took third on a wild pitch before Lyon batted her in. Ella Christopher returned to the lineup and walked in her first at-bat of game two. Emily Garcia then singled to right center field and scored Lyon from second to put Gardner-Webb in front 2-0.
 
UNCG responded, scoring a run of their own in the second to make it 2-1.
 
In the top of the third, Taylor Dreher hit her second career homerun over the left field wall to give the Runnin' Bulldogs a two-run advantage once again.
 
The Spartans came back with a big inning, scoring five in the bottom of the third, and taking a 6-3 lead.
 
Annicka McLaughlin led off the fourth and walked. Fava grounded out, moving her to second, before McLaughlin took third on a wild pitch. Dreher walked, and Lyon singled to center field, scoring the runner from third, making it 6-4.
 
UNCG went on to score eight runs as they took game two.
 
Andrea Lyon and Emily Garcia both had three hits in three at-bats for the Runnin' Bulldogs. Lyon had two RBIs and Garcia one. Taylor Dreher added another with her solo shot in the third inning.
 
Lyon was the starting pitcher and struck out three before Alli Stidham took over for the last seven outs.
 
Gardner-Webb will face the same opponents from the same location Sunday. The Runnin' Bulldogs are set to face Army at noon and UNCG at 2:30 P.M. on ESPN+.