The Gardner-Webb softball team scored four runs in the fifth and sixth innings to hold off multiple rallies from Presbyterian College to take the 13-7 win in game one of a doubleheader, Saturday in Boiling Springs, N.C. The Runnin' Bulldogs won game two, 11-3, in five innings. Megan Anderson recorded three doubles off four hits, with seven RBI in the two losses.
GWU 13, PC 7
The Runnin' Bulldogs opened the bottom of the first with a single from Andria Booth. She stole second and hit third off a Katie Prebble single. She scored off a RBI groundout from Kaylee Wacaster. A RBI ground-out by Rachel Cumiskey plated Weslyn Almond, who was on base off a hit by pitch, to give GWU the early 2-0 lead. Booth grounded out to second in the bottom of the second to bring in Katie Stettler, who led off the inning with a single, giving GWU the 3-0 lead.
PC responded in the top of the third, capitalizing on a Megan Anderson double and a GWU error and finishing it off with a RBI single from Macy Hyatt to make it 3-1. GWU added two back in the bottom of the third, the first off a Cumiskey RBI single, and a RBI groundout from Wacaster. The Blue Hose followed it with a one-out single from Ansley Wilbanks. Two batters after Jonnie Petree reached on a GWU error, Anderson hit her second double of the game, bringing in both runners to make it 5-3.
The Runnin' Bulldogs spotted four runs in the bottom of the fifth, ignited by a RBI single from Booth. It was followed up by a two-RBI single from Maddi Johnson, with a third run scoring on the play off a PC error to give the home team the 9-3 lead. The Blue Hose loaded the bases in the top of the sixth off a GWU error and back to back singles. Anderson cleared the bases off her third double of the game and came home two batters later off a Haley Caswell RBI single to cut the lead to two again, 9-7.
Gardner-Webb answered with a four more runs in the bottom of the frame, the first off a RBI single from Wacaster and the second off a RBI single from Annamarie Warley. GWU went ahead 13-7 off a two-RBI single from Booth.
Booth led GWU with three hits, two runs and four RBI, while Anderson was tops for PC with three hits which were all doubles, and five RBI. Alex Cook (0-6) went 5.1 innings and gave up eight earned runs and 15 hits. Sam Harrell (3-1) went 6.0 innings for GWU, surrendering 10 hits and three earned runs.
The Blue Hose finished with seven runs off 10 hits, with three errors. GWU posted 13 runs off 18 hits, with five errors. Both team stranded eight runners.
Game One Notables
Megan Anderson tied the PC Division I record with her career-high three doubles in a game.
PC connected on double-digit hits for the sixth time this season and second in the last three games.
Megan Anderson's career-high five RBI tied for fifth in the PC DI record book.
GWU 11, PC 3 (5)
Gardner-Webb opened the bottom of the first with a single from Booth. It was followed by back to back RBI triples from Almond and Prebble to give the home team the early 2-0 lead. A walk and two singles in the bottom of the first loaded the bases for the Runnin' Bulldogs. Two hit by pitches brought in two runs, with the bases being cleared the next at-bat off a grand slam by Wacaster, giving GWU an 8-0 lead.
Presley Bissett led off the third with a double to right, with Wilbanks and Petree following it up with back to back singles. Two batters later, Anderson came through yet again with a two-RBI single. Hyatt added a RBI single later in the inning to cut the deficit to five, 8-3. GWU came back in the bottom of the third with a single and a walk to put runners on base with one out. Wacaster laced a two-RBI single through the left side propelling the home team ahead by seven, 10-3. The 11th run came two batters later off a bases loaded walk to Callie Thornton. PC was unable to get another run in the top of the fifth so the game ended with GWU taking the 11-3 five-inning win.
Anderson led in RBI with two, while Hyatt and Bissett paced the Blue Hose in hits with two apiece. Wacaster recorded four RBI for GWU, with Booth and Prebble each posting two hits and two RBI.
Ashley Wark (12-7) earned the win, throwing a complete game while giving up three earned runs and eight hits. Kaylee Allen (0-12) went an inning, surrendering eight runs off six hits.
PC finished with three runs and eight hits, while GWU posted 11 runs off nine hits.
For the Record
PC drops to 2-23 overall and 0-3 in the Big South, while Gardner-Webb improves to 20-12, 4-2.
Up Next
PC is next on the road Tuesday, Mar. 20, at Western Carolina. First pitch of the doubleheader is slated for 3 p.m.
How to follow
Fans can follow at www.GoBlueHose.com, and @PresbySB.
