BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. – Gardner-Webb took game one 9-5, before falling to the Lancers in game two, 6-3, Monday night from Brinkley Softball Stadium.
Game one was the start GWU wanted to its action-packed week on the diamond.
After falling behind 1-0 in the top of the first,
Kasey Fava and
Annicka McLaughlin both singled to start the game.
Andrea Lyon then singled to score Fava and tied the game at 1 heading into the second.
In the second, Longwood added a run, and held on to a 2-1 lead all the way until the fifth inning.
Outfielder
Abbey Goodrum walked to start the fifth. Fava and McLaughlin both beat out bunts and GWU had loaded bases with no outs for Lyon. Lyon capitalized, hitting a single to center field and scoring a run.
Adrienne Visintine followed with a 2-RBI single down the right field line to give Gardner-Webb a 4-2 lead.
Alexa Key pinch ran for Lyon and stole third. Visintine took the opportunity and stole second. With runners on second and third,
Bridgette Strobl bunted, scoring Key. Then, with two on and one out,
Kiara Kennedy hit a 3-run shot to left field and capped off a seven-run inning for the 'dogs.
Both teams scored a run in the sixth. McLaughlin bunted, Lyon was hit by a pitch, and
Ella Christopher singled down the right field line to score McLaughlin in the bottom of the inning.
Down 9-3, the Lancers scored two in the top of the seventh, but it was not enough as Gardner-Webb took game one 9-5.
The Runnin' Bulldogs racked up 11 hits in the series opener.
Annicka McLaughlin led the team, getting a hit in all three of her at-bats.
Kasey Fava and
Andrea Lyon hit two singles each, with Lyon earning two RBIs.
Adrienne Visintine,
Ella Christopher,
Bridgette Strobl, and
Kiara Kennedy were responsible for the 'dogs' other four hits. Kennedy scored three runs with her homerun in the fifth inning while Christopher, Strobl, and Visintine batted in a runner each.
Lyon pitched the complete game and struck out three betters on her way to the win.
Game two started similar with Longwood scoring early. They scored two runs in each of the first two innings to race out to a 4-0 lead.
After adding two more in the fourth, The Runnin' Bulldogs found themselves down six runs.
In the bottom of the sixth,
Adrienne Visintine singled to left field and scored
Annicka McLaughlin, who reached base from an error.
With three outs to rally,
Kasey Fava reached base in the bottom of the seventh from an error by Longwood's shortstop. McLaughlin then tripled to right field and scored Fava from first. Lyon followed with a single through the right side, scoring the freshman infielder to make it 6-3.
Unfortunately for GWU, the rally would end there as Longwood took game two and tied the series.
Adrienne Visintine led the 'dogs in game two, hitting 4-4 with an RBI.
Annicka McLaughlin hit a single, a triple, and had an RBI. Lyon had Gardner-Webb's other hit and RBI with her single in the bottom of the seventh.
Alli Stidham started in the circle for GWU in game two and struck out four batters before
Kalyn Kyle replaced her in the third inning.
The Runnin' Bulldogs are next in action Tuesday, April 11, when they will close out the series with Longwood before heading to Charleston Southern Wednesday. First pitch for game three is set for 11:00 A.M. from Brinkley Stadium in Boiling Springs.
