BOILING SPRINGS, N.C.  – The Gardner-Webb University baseball team played their season opener on Friday evening dropping the first of three-game weekend series 9-5 against the Mountaineers of Appalachian State University. ASU ultimately held on despite a three run seventh inning from the 'Dawgs.
 
Appalachian State built an early six run advantage tallying two in the second, three in the third and one more in the fourth. Nick Capozzi, got the 'Dawgs on the board in the fourth as he homered to centerfield. The Mountaineers added a pair of runs in the fifth inning before Gardner-Webb began to get the bats going in the sixth inning adding a run on a fielder's choice. The Runnin' Bulldogs recorded a trio of runs in the bottom of the seventh inning thanks to a single from Peter Capobianco, and a two-run bomb by Humberto Torres cutting into the App State lead. The Mountaineers went on to add an insurance run the eighth inning hanging on to win 9-5.
 
UP NEXT
The Runnin' Bulldogs will be back in action on Saturday, Feb. 17 when they host App State for game-two at 2 p.m.