Sydney Seigler struck out a career-high 10, while Megan Anderson was three-for-three with three RBI, to lead the Presbyterian College softball team to the 4-0 win in game one of a Big South doubleheader at Gardner-Webb Wednesday afternoon. The Runnin' Bulldogs used a six-run first inning to take game two, 6-2, to split the doubleheader.
PC, which moves to 20-16 overall and 6-4 in the Big South, returns home for a weekend series against Liberty with the Blue Hose hosting the Flames in a 1 p.m., doubleheader Saturday, April 9, and a single game Sunday, April 10, at 1 p.m. Gardner-Webb goes to 17-18 and 3-5.
Game One: PC 4, GWU 0
Erin Ruff opened game one with a single, and collected her 11th stolen base of the year to put herself in scoring position. Anderson brought her home off a RBI single, the second of three PC hits in the inning, to give the Blue Hose the 1-0 lead early.
Seigler was strong early, striking out the first three batters of the game to keep GWU in check in the opening frame.
After a 1-2-3 inning for PC to start the second, the Runnin' Bulldogs used two walks and a single to load the bases with two outs on the board. Seigler came through again with a clutch fourth strikeout of the game, this one to end the inning and the threat.
Hope Rogers added a double in the top of the third but the Blue Hose were unable to plate her. It didn't hurt as Gardner-Webb went down in order in the bottom to keep it 1-0. Jordan Ashley offered up a double in the fourth, her third of the season but again PC was unable to get her home. Seigler came through again in the bottom, striking out another three in a row to hold the PC lead headed to the fifth.
PC got on the board again in the top of the fifth, opening the inning with back to back singles, by Kelsie Sanchez and Rogers. Anderson came up to the plate and recorded her second and third RBI of the game with a double to left center to propel the Blue Hose up to the 3-0 lead.
The Runnin' Bulldogs put a runner on base in the bottom of the inning off a Megan Champion single, with one out on the board, but the final two batters fouled out and popped out to send her back to the dugout.
PC added a run in the sixth after Jenna Harris led off the inning with a double. Ruff brought the run home with a RBI single two batters later to make it 4-0.
GWU got a runner in the bottom of the seventh off a PC error but a foul out and a strikeout from Seigler, her 10th of the game, closed out the game with the Blue Hose on top, 4-0.
The Blue Hose collected 11 hits, with Anderson leading the way with three hits and three RBI. Ruff added two hits and a RBI, while Rogers posted two hits as well. GWU recorded two hits on the game.
Seigler (9-7) was the difference for the Blue Hose, posting her third shutout of the game, going 7.0 innings and striking out a career-high 10 and walking just two, while surrendering two hits. She retired the side in order in three innings, including I nthe first and fourth where she struck out the side.
Mackenzie Thompson (9-7) took the loss, giving up three earned runs off 11 hits, while striking out six.
Game Two: GWU 6, PC 2
After a Sanchez single and a GWU error put runners on first and second for PC in the top of the first inning of game two, Anderson continued her offensive success, getting a RBI single to give the Blue Hose the early 1-0 lead.
The bats came alive in the bottom of the second with Kaylee Wacaster opening the frame with a single. A batter later Rachel Cumiskey hit her fourth home run of the year to give the home team the 2-1 lead. A PC error brought in run number three, with a two-RBI single from Callie Thornton made it 5-1. Wacaster came back around and hit a RBI single to give GWU the sudden 6-1 lead headed o the second.
A quiet second, third, and fourth inning for both teams PC got a walk from Blaire Miller with one out in the fifth. Sanchez brought the run home two batters later off a double to right to cut the GWU lead to four, 6-2.
After a scoreless sixth for both teams, PC came down to its last three outs in the seventh, but a rally was not meant to be as the Blue Hose went down in order, preserving Gardner-Webb's four-run win.
Katie Brown (9-8) started for PC, going 0.1 innings and giving up four runs off three hits. Natasha Sherrod came on in relief for 5.2 innings, surrendering just one earned run off six hits. Devyn Terry (3-4) threw a complete game for GWU, giving up one earned run off three hits, with four strikeouts.
PC finished with three hits and two errors, with Sanchez pacing the team with two hits and one RBI. Anderson added a hit and one RBI. Wacaster led GWU's nine hits with three of her own and one RBI. Cumiskey and Thornton added a hit and two RBI apiece. The Runnin' Bulldogs finished with two errors as well.
