WINSTON SALEM, N.C. – The Gardner-Webb baseball team dropped a pair of one-run games at Wake Forest on May 3-4 at Couch Ballpark. GWU fell 4-3 extra innings contest in a suspended game on Saturday afternoon before dropping the nightcap by the final of 9-8 on Sunday.
Game one saw the Runnin' Bulldogs get off to a quick start, taking a 1-0 lead in the top of the second following an RBI off the bat of Matt Ilgenfritz, scoring Nick Capozzi who had drew a leadoff walk.
However, Wake came back with two runs of its own in the bottom of the third after Jimmy Keenan hit a solo shot followed by an RBI single Jack Winnay. The Deacs added a single run in the bottom of the sixth, extending the advantage to 3-1.
Gardner-Webb was able to battle back and knot the score at 3-all with one run each in the seventh and eighth innings. Tanner Thomas went deep on an 0-1 count before Garrett Macias added a run-scoring hit up the middle, plating Lawson Knight.
The game was suspended in the top of the ninth because of inclement weather and was resumed the next day. After both teams went scoreless in the ninth, Wake brought home the game-winning run after Ryan Preisano drew a bases loaded walk.
The Runnin' Bulldogs once again struck first in game two, plating four runs in the top of the second, recording four hits in the at-bat. Capozzi came around to score after a sacrifice fly by Matt Ilgenfritz before three consecutive RBI hits staked the visitors to a four-run lead.
However, Wake Forest came back with two runs in the third and three more in the fourth while taking its first lead of game two, 5-4.
That advantage did not last long as Gardner-Webb posted its second four-run frame of the game, this time using the long ball to take the lead back. A pair of walks started the frame before Ryan Kennell lifted a ball over the right field wall for a three-run homerun. Dale Francis Jr. helped the cause with his team-leading 15th homer of the year, pushing the 'Dawgs back ahead 8-5.
Unfortunately, that would be the last runs for GWU while the Demon Deacons tied the game with three runs in the sixth before taking game two with a single run in the eighth.
Gardner-Webb returns to the diamond on May 9-11, traveling to High Point for a three-game set with the Panthers. Game one is set to start at 6 p.m. on Friday evening.
