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Clinton, S.C. - The
Gardner-Webb softball team scored six runs over the first two innings of play
and held on for a 6-4 victory over the Presbyterian College Lady Blue Hose,
their first Big South Conference win of the season, in Clinton, S.C. on
Wednesday afternoon.
The win pushes GWU to 14-18 overall and 1-3 in the Big South
Conference, while PC falls to 8-19 and 0-4 in conference play with the loss.
The Gardner-Webb offense started the game off hot, as
sophomore Samantha Meenaghan and junior Jordyn Arrowood led the game off with
back-to-back infield singles. Freshman
Amanda Gomes then singled through the left side to drive in Meenaghan from
second and put the visitors up early 1-0 in the first.
After a foul out to right field advanced Arrowood to third
and pitch runner Mariana Gallardo stole second, both runners would advance on
an illegal pitch, allowing Arrowood to score from third. Designated hitter
Elizabeth Williams then singled to short to drive in Gallardo and put the
Runnin' Bulldogs up 3-0 in the first inning.
Gardner-Webb doubled their lead in the top half of the
second, as Meenaghan hit a home run to center field to drive in both Jane Savage
and Melinda Dulkowski to put the visitors up 6-0 heading into the bottom of the
second. The home run was Meenaghan's second of the season.
GWU starting pitcher Jessica Childers did not allow a PC hit
until the third inning, a single by outfielder Shelby Petik, who later scored
on a two-run double down the left field line by Tera Powell, cutting the GWU
lead to 6-2 after three innings of play.
PC continued to cut into the lead in the bottom of the sixth,
as designated Erin Taylor hit a solo shot over the left field fence to put the
score at 6-3 in favor of the Runnin' Bulldogs.
After a PC single, a GWU fielding error and a base-on-balls
loaded the bases, GWU pitcher Cindy Boomhower hit the Lady Blue Hose's Hayley
Bonner to force a run in and cut the Runnin' Bulldog lead to two at 6-4.
GWU's Childers re-entered the game and struck out the next
two PC batters with the bases loaded to keep the score at 6-4 in favor of the
Runnin' Bulldogs.
In the final inning of play, GWU got a single by Dulkowski
and a single by Gomes, the Runnin' Bulldogs' first hits since the second
inning, yet failed to add to their lead.
In the bottom half of the seventh, the Lady Blue Hose loaded
the bases with one out. However,
Childers' got the middle of the PC order to pop out and strike out to help the
Runnin' Bulldogs hold on for the two run conference win.
Childers (3-6) earned the win for GWU, as she went a total
of four innings, allowing two runs on two hits and three walks, while striking
out three PC batters.
Presbyterian's Cat Tarvin (0-5) suffered the loss, as she
gave up four runs on five hits over one inning of action.
Meenaghan was 2-4 with a home run, three RBI and two runs
scored, while Gomes was 2-4 with an RBI and Arrowood was 2-4 with a run scored. Williams was 1-3 with an RBI, while Savage
was 1-3 with a run scored and Dulkowski was 1-2 with a run scored.
For PC offensively, Taylor was 2-3 with a home run, while
Durham was 1-2 with a double and two RBI.
Gardner-Webb (14-18, 1-3 Big South) will remain on the road
for a three-game weekend series at Coastal Carolina on Saturday and Sunday,
March 31st through April 1st, in Conway, S.C.
Presbyterian (8-19, 0-4 Big South) will travel to
Charleston, S.C. for a three-game weekend series this weekend against
Charleston Southern.
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