ATLANTA, Ga. – Gardner-Webb hit three home runs Sunday and collected 15 hits before falling 13-8 in the series finale at Georgia Tech.
The Runnin' Bulldogs (27-16) took a lead in the top of the second inning when
Humberto Torres belted a solo home run to left, but the Yellow Jackets (26-18) countered with seven runs in the bottom of the second to take the lead for good.
Gardner-Webb got a run back in the top of the third when
Curtis Robison and
Nate Anderson's back-to-back singles were followed by a two-out base hit from
Trevor Mattson that trimmed the lead to 7-2.
Georgia Tech scored two runs in the fourth and another in the fifth to go up 10-2, then Gardner-Webb came alive to make the game interesting. The Yellow Jackets made a call to the bullpen before the first at bat and Mattson greeted the move with a leadoff single.
Peter Capobianco then delivered a two-run home run down the line in left that cut the lead to 10-4. Torres followed with a single,
Jacob Marcos roped a two-out single into right and Robison cranked a three-run home run to right to make the score 10-7 – and forcing the home team to make another call to the pen.
Georgia Tech stopped that rally, then scored three runs in the bottom of the seventh to create some separation. A single and stolen base by Marcos paid off in the top of the eighth, when Robison drove home another run with a ground out.
Reid Bertram (1-4) took the loss on the mound, allowing eight earned runs on 11 hits in 3.1 innings of work. Gardner-Webb used five pitchers, with
Connor Maggi and
Luke Goodyear coming on to hurl scoreless frames to end the game.
Torres (4-for-5, HR, RBI) and Marcos (3-for-5) had big days at the plate, with Robison (2-for-5, HR, 4 RBI), Mattson (2-for-5, RBI) and Capobianco (2-for-5, HR, 2 RBI) also collecting multiple hits.
Georgia Tech had 19 hits on Sunday, with Angelo Dispigna going 5-for-5 with a home run to pace that attack.
Gardner-Webb will break for exams before getting back to action on Friday, May 5 at 6:00 pm against USC Upstate. It will mark the first home game for the Runnin' Bulldogs since April 11.
