CARROLLTON, GA - The Gardner-Webb softball team (18-8) finished off a series win at West Georgia on Saturday, winning both games of a doubleheader, first 11-0, then 8-2 in the nightcap

Game One - Gardner-Webb 11, West Georgia 0
With runs in each of the first four innings and a seven-spot in the top of the fourth, Gardner-Webb jumped way out in front and didn't look back in a Game One win

Of the eight different times Gardner-Webb scored runs, eight different batters were at the plate to drive them in. And while the Runnin' Bulldogs did produce some big swings, it was largely productive plays with senior catcher Taylor Dreher driving in the first run on a fielder's choice and senior shortstop Annicka McLaughlin making it 2-0 after reaching on an error

The productive at-bats continued in the second, third and fourth with an RBI ground-out by senior pitcher Alli Stidham, sophomore center fielder Lauren Spainhower adding an infield RBI single, and senior first baseman Maggie Knight recording a sac fly to make it 5-0

The big hits then followed as the game got out of hand. Senior right fielder Jailyn Tineo and freshman pinch hitter LY Forte each knocked in RBI singles to left to make it 8-0. Sophomore third baseman Caitlin Colley broke the dam right after with a three-run homer to center, putting GWU in front 11-0

In the circle meanwhile, Stidham made easy work of the West Georgia lineup with 5.0 innings, four hits and no runs allowed, with three strikeouts on just 70 pitches

Game Two - Gardner-Webb 8, West Georgia 2
In the late game, Gardner-Webb came alive with a four-run sixth inning to pull away and win 8-2

Tineo continued an excellent individual day in the third and fifth innings. In the top of the third, the Waxaw, N.C. native drove in the first run for GWU with a single back through the box to tie the game at 1-1. She then added a sac fly in the top of the fifth for a 2-1 lead

As was the story, productive outs eventually turned into big hits and that's what happened with Gardner-Webb in the sixth in seventh. In the sixth, Colley hit a sac fly to center just ahead of sophomore second baseman Reese Collier who crushed a three-run home run to left. Two swings, four runs, and a 6-1 lead for the Dawgs

In the seventh, Colley again hit a sac fly before Collier singled another run home through the left side to give the Runnin' Bulldogs an 8-2 advantage that held as final

In the circle, sophomore right-hander Hannah Frye got the win after 5.1 innings and one earned run, scattering seven hits. Freshman right-hander Glenna McLamb finished off the final 1.2 innings, striking out two and walking just one

UP NEXT
GWU is back home Tuesday at 1 pm and 3 pm to host Bucknell in a non-conference doubleheader at Brinkley Stadium