BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. – Gardner-Webb scored nine runs in its final two at bats Friday to rally past UNC Asheville 11-9 in the Big South series rubber match.
The Runnin' Bulldogs (20-10, 9-3 Big South) have won eight of their last 10 meetings with UNC Asheville (18-13, 5-7 Big South) and used a six-run burst in the seventh – and a three-run home run from
Peter Capobianco in the eighth – to seal Friday's win.
Gardner-Webb took an early lead, getting an RBI ground ball from
Alec Burns and another from
Nate Anderson to stake itself to a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first.
Asheville collected four singles to even the score in the top of the third, and used a Robbie Burnette solo home run with two outs in the top of the fifth to go in front 3-2.
A leadoff single and RBI double in the top of the sixth put the visitors up 4-2 and forced Gardner-Webb to make an early call to the bullpen. The lead grew larger, with a three-run home run by the ninth batter in the order pushing Asheville's lead to 7-2. The visiting Bulldogs added another run before GWU could get back into the dugout.
The seventh inning stretch saw the sun peek out from behind the clouds and the bottom of the inning saw Gardner-Webb's bats come alive – plating six runs on six hits to pull even.
The Runnin' Bulldogs batted around in the inning, with
Curtis Robison leading off with a hard single into left.
Mark Black followed with a single and
Alec Burns drove home Robison with a double to left center.
Nate Anderson followed with a two-run single and – after
Trevor Mattson trimmed the lead to 8-6 with an RBI ground out –
Jacob Marcos roped a two-run single into center to tie the game.
UNC Asheville pushed across a run in the top of the eighth to go back in front, but Gardner-Webb's offense was intent on remaining in high gear.
Black led off the inning with a single and Burns walked to put the winning run on board. After a pair of fly ball outs, Capobianco belted an 0-1 pitch deep over the fence in left center for an 11-9 lead.
Michael Portela (1-1), who came on to roll an inning-ending double play with the bases loaded in the top of the eighth, rolled through a clean ninth inning to earn the win.
Gardner-Webb had 13 hits in the game, led by Marcos (4-for-6) and Robison (3-for-4). Black (2-for-5) and Capobianco (2-for-3, HR, 4 RBI) also had big days at the dish.
Chris Sabo (2-2) took the loss for UNC Asheville out of the pen, allowing two runs on one hit in the eighth. The Bulldogs used six arms on Friday.
Dylan Bacot led Asheville's 14-hit offensive effort, going 3-for-5 with three RBI).
Gardner-Webb is back in action on Tuesday, hosting UNC Greensboro at 5:00 pm.
