BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. – Gardner-Webb lost its doubleheader to USC Upstate Friday from Brinkley Stadium.
In game one, the Spartans used the long ball to take an early lead over GWU. Upstate hit a homerun in the first inning, and three in the third to go up 5-0.
In the bottom of the third,
Kasey Fava hit a leadoff single through the left side and stole second. Then, with two outs,
Adrienne Visintine homered to center field and made it a 3-run game.
Upstate responded with two runs in the fourth, and two more in the fifth to take game one.
Adrienne Visintine led the 'dogs with a hit in two at-bats, a homerun, and two RBIs.
Andrea Lyon started in the circle for GWU and
Alli Stidham relieved her in the third.
Kasey Fava walked and
Annicka McLaughlin singled to start game two exactly how game one began. Lyon grounded into a double play and moved Fava to third. This time,
Adrienne Visintine homered in her first trip to the plate and put two runs on the board for Gardner-Webb in the bottom of the first.
In the second, catcher
Bridgette Strobl singled to right field and took second on a wild pitch.
Kayleigh Nicholson flew out to right and moved the runner to third. With two outs, Fava singled down the left field line and made it 3-0.
Upstate came alive, scoring four in the third inning to take a 4-3 lead.
Gardner-Webb responded with a run in the bottom of the inning.
Ella Christopher singled up the middle to lead off the fourth.
Bridgette Strobl moved Christopher to second, and Nicholson advanced her to third. Freshman
Emily Garcia hit a single up the middle and scored Christopher to tie the game.
Both teams traded runs in the fifth.
After the Spartans took a 5-4 lead,
Andrea Lyon singled down the right field line to open the fifth for GWU.
Kiara Kennedy singled to centerfield and moved the runner to third before
Ella Christopher scored her on an infield groundout to level the scoring.
Knotted at five, USC Upstate hit a two-run shot in the top of the seventh to go up 7-5.
In the bottom of the inning, Kennedy walked and Christopher singled to right field. With one out and runners on,
Taylor Perry hit a sacrifice fly to bring the 'dogs within one. However, they were unable to drive home Christopher and fell short 7-6.
The lefthander
Kalyn Kyle threw the first three innings.
Alli Stidham pitched two, and
Andrea Lyon returned to the circle for the sixth and seventh innings.
Gardner-Webb totaled 12 hits in game two. Fava, Garcia, and Christopher all had two hits each. McLaughlin, Kennedy, Lyon, Visintine, Strobl and Nicholson all registered hits as well.
Visintine was the RBI leader again with two, while Garcia, Christopher, Fava, and Perry added one each.
The Runnin' Bulldogs will host USC Upstate for a final game Saturday from Brinkley Stadium in Boiling Springs. Due to expected weather conditions the start time was pushed back to 3:00 P.M. on ESPN+
