CHARLESTON, S.C. – Gardner-Webb defeated Charleston Southern in extra innings to kickstart league play 1-0 Friday night.
The Runnin' Bulldogs raced out to an early lead, scoring three runs in the first inning.
Adrienne Visintine got things started with a single to right field.
Andrea Lyon followed with a single to third base and moved Visintine to second. Facing a 1-2 count, freshman
Emily Garcia hit a single up the middle to score Visintine and put Lyon on second.
Alyssa Bonilla advanced the runners before
Kiara Kennedy hit a single to right field that scored two runs.
Following Gardner-Webb's offensive first inning, neither team budged through the second and third.
In the top of the fourth, shortstop
Kayleigh Nicholson hit her first homerun of the season over the left field wall to make it 4-0.
Down four runs, the Buccaneers responded, scoring four of their own in the bottom of the fifth to tie the game.
Both defenses stayed true as the seventh inning came to a close all knotted up at four.
Neither offense scored in the eighth, and Gardner-Webb went into the nineth with
Bridgette Strobl,
Annicka McLaughlin, and Visintine due up. McLaughlin provided the spark, singling up the middle, and stealing second base. Visintine grounded out, putting the go-ahead run on third. With two outs and a 3-1 count,
Ella Christopher singled through the left side to give the 'dogs the deciding run in their conference opener.
Andrea Lyon pitched the first eight innings, striking out seven batters before handing it over to
Alli Stidham in the nineth. Stidham faced four Bucs and retired one to seal the game for Gardner-Webb.
In all, the Runnin' Bulldogs registered ten hits. McLaughlin, Visintine, and Garcia all hit singles, with Garcia's scoring a run. Christopher, Lyon, and Kennedy all hit two. Christopher had one RBI and Kennedy had two on her hit to right field. Nicholson had the only other RBI on her solo shot in the top of the fourth.
"Today was the start of a new season for us," said head coach
Bailey Wigness. "It was a complete team win.
Andrea Lyon threw a great game, and
Alli Stidham did a great job coming in behind her to close. The defense played well and we had timely hits when we needed them." She added, "The energy was electric tonight. It felt like opening day."
Gardner-Webb will look to carry the momentum from game one into Saturday's doubleheader against Charleston Southern. The Runnin' Bulldogs will take on the Buccaneers at 1:00 P.M. and 3:00 P.M. on ESPN+ from the CSU Softball Complex.
