Gardner-Webb (18-22, 6-9 Big South) vs
Western Carolina (26-15, 8-4 SoCon)
SINGLE GAME SET
Tuesday, April 21, 6 p.m. – RHP Anthony Hausner
BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. – The Runnin' Bulldogs return to the friendly confines of John Henry Moss Stadium on Tuesday evening to play host to Western Carolina in a non-conference clash.
Dawgs on the Diamond: Kelvin Agosto continues to lead the way at the plate for Gardner-Webb, batting at a league-best .392 while collecting a team-best 58 hits, including 10 doubles and six home runs. Drew Ripepi has gradually raised his average over the past month of baseball, now sitting at 8th in the Big South with a .333 clip at the dish.
Kennell continues to make strides down the stretch for Gardner-Webb, currently sitting third on the team with a .318 average. Starting in all 38 games, Kennell has amassed 48 hits to include nine doubles and a pair of homeruns.
Matt Ilgenfritz has supplied the power for the Dawgs, blasting a team-leading nine homeruns to go along with a .291 average and 32 RBIs. Ilgenfritz sits in third on the club with 31 runs scored and tied for first in doubles with 10. Merik Carter has blasted eight home runs on the year from the leadoff spot while leading the conference with 38 walks drawn.
Oliver Ellison leads the Runnin' Bulldogs with four wins, throwing a team-high 62.0 innings while striking out 53 batters. Ellison tossed 7.0 innings at Radford over the weekend. Colby Putnam leads the team with a 3.64 ERA out of the pen. The freshman has made 12 appearances while throwing 42.0 innings. He holds opposing batters to a .221 average.
Series with the Catamounts: Despite being separated by only 54 miles, Tuesday's contest marks the first time the Runnin' Bulldogs and Royals will square off on the diamond.
Scouting Catamounts: Western Carolina leads the all-time series over the Dawgs by a tally of 17-10-1, including an 8-4 win on March 18 in Cullowhee. The Catamounts have taken four in a row over Gardner-Webb.
Western Carolina is led by Cole Jones' .337 batting average, one of six Catamounts hitting over .300 on the year. Jackson Lyda and Mason Holton lead the club with 46 hits each, including a combined nine homeruns, while Trent Turner has launched a team-leading 10 long balls. The Queens pitching staff has a combined ERA of 5.66 in 349.2 innings pitched. Mason Snyder has been a staple out of the pen, appearing in 16 games while holding a perfect 5-0 record.
Tuesday's game will be televised on ESPN+ and can be followed with live stats at www.gwusports.com.
