Friday, April 16
Lynchburg, Va.
4:00 PM
Liberty University
25-11, 0
7
vs
6
Gardner-Webb
15-27, 0
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | Runs R | Hits H | Errors E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gardner-Webb | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 7 | 1 |
| Liberty | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 7 | 8 | 3 |
Lady Flames Edge Bulldogs in Eight Innings
4/16/2010 12:00:00 AM | Softball
After trailing by two runs in the seventh inning, big hits by Kaylee West and Cassie Hendrix lifted the Lady Flames to a 7-6 victory in eight innings, Friday afternoon, over visiting Gardner-Webb.
Liberty also claimed Game 1 of the day's conference doubleheader, 3-0, earlier in the day.
The Bulldogs jumped all over Liberty starting pitcher Katie Warrington in the top of the first. After Christa Fullwood drew a walk, McKenzie Morenus singled to left field. Three runs scored when Mandy Ward homered to center field, giving Gardner-Webb a quick 3-0 lead.
But the Lady Flames fought back, scoring three runs of their own in the bottom of the first due to a wild pitch and an error on the same play. With one out, Jenny Law doubled to right center, and Ashley Bensinger and Kelly Strickland drew back-to-back walks. Then, with Amber DePasquale up to bat, Law scored on a wild pitch by Cindy Boomhower. The ball rolled down the third base line, and third baseman Jordyn Arrowood threw it away, allowing Bensinger and Strickland to cross the plate to tie the game, 3-3.
The Bulldogs took a 4-3 lead in the top of the fourth. Ashley Whitlock led off with a walk, and pinch runner Alison Coffey scored on the next play when pitcher Kat Johnson overthrew to first on a bunt by Melody Harrell. The ball sailed down the right field line, allowing Harrell to advance to second. But the Liberty defense made the play on three groundouts to strand Harrell, and the game moved into the bottom of the fourth with a 4-3 score in favor of Gardner-Webb.
The Bulldogs tacked two more runs onto their lead in the top of the second with two unearned runs. Ward led off with a single to center field, and Lindsea Hutchinson reached on a fielding error by third baseman Danielle Howard, who then committed a throwing error on the toss to first, allowing Hutchinson to move to second. Ward was thrown out at the plate by Hendrix after right-fielder Law retrieved the errant throw by Howard.
Kelsey Witter followed up with a single to left field, moving Hutchinston to third. Harrell then singled up the middle, allowing both runs to score and giving the Bulldogs a 6-3 lead.
Law came up big at the plate in the bottom of the fifth, busting her first career home run with a solo shot over the left field fence.
After a scoreless sixth, the Lady Flames tied it up with two outs in the bottom of the seventh. With runners on second and third and two outs, West busted a line drive that hit the first baseman in fair territory, then floated away enough for her to record the double and drive in both runners, putting the score at 6-6 and sending the game into extra innings.
Liberty shut down the Bulldogs in the top of the eighth, as Tiffani Smith came into the game and kept Gardner-Webb hitless.
With Meredith Baisden placed on second in the bottom of the eighth, Howard reached on a fielder's choice with a bunt down the third base line, and Baisden was out at third. But Howard rounded first and was safe at second to put herself in scoring position with one out.
At that point, Hendrix extended her hitting streak to six games, roping a single that traveled in similar fashion to West's two-run hit, as it bounced off Fullwood at first and rolled away, allowing Howard to score from second and give Liberty the 7-6 victory.
With the win, the Lady Flames improve to 25-11 overall and 8-3 in the Big South, while the Bulldogs drop to 15-27 overall and 5-8 in conference play.
Law was 3-for-4 at the plate, driving in one Liberty run, while West batted 2-for-4 with two RBIs and Hendrix drove in the game-winner with her hit.
Gardner-Webb was led by Ward, who was 2-for-4 with three RBIs.
Smith (15-3) picked up her second win of the day in the circle, giving up no hits in one complete inning.
Jessica Milligan drops to 2-3 on the year, throwing 1/3 of an inning and giving up one hit.
The two teams will conclude the three-game series tomorrow with a single game at 1 p.m.
Liberty also claimed Game 1 of the day's conference doubleheader, 3-0, earlier in the day.
The Bulldogs jumped all over Liberty starting pitcher Katie Warrington in the top of the first. After Christa Fullwood drew a walk, McKenzie Morenus singled to left field. Three runs scored when Mandy Ward homered to center field, giving Gardner-Webb a quick 3-0 lead.
But the Lady Flames fought back, scoring three runs of their own in the bottom of the first due to a wild pitch and an error on the same play. With one out, Jenny Law doubled to right center, and Ashley Bensinger and Kelly Strickland drew back-to-back walks. Then, with Amber DePasquale up to bat, Law scored on a wild pitch by Cindy Boomhower. The ball rolled down the third base line, and third baseman Jordyn Arrowood threw it away, allowing Bensinger and Strickland to cross the plate to tie the game, 3-3.
The Bulldogs took a 4-3 lead in the top of the fourth. Ashley Whitlock led off with a walk, and pinch runner Alison Coffey scored on the next play when pitcher Kat Johnson overthrew to first on a bunt by Melody Harrell. The ball sailed down the right field line, allowing Harrell to advance to second. But the Liberty defense made the play on three groundouts to strand Harrell, and the game moved into the bottom of the fourth with a 4-3 score in favor of Gardner-Webb.
The Bulldogs tacked two more runs onto their lead in the top of the second with two unearned runs. Ward led off with a single to center field, and Lindsea Hutchinson reached on a fielding error by third baseman Danielle Howard, who then committed a throwing error on the toss to first, allowing Hutchinson to move to second. Ward was thrown out at the plate by Hendrix after right-fielder Law retrieved the errant throw by Howard.
Kelsey Witter followed up with a single to left field, moving Hutchinston to third. Harrell then singled up the middle, allowing both runs to score and giving the Bulldogs a 6-3 lead.
Law came up big at the plate in the bottom of the fifth, busting her first career home run with a solo shot over the left field fence.
After a scoreless sixth, the Lady Flames tied it up with two outs in the bottom of the seventh. With runners on second and third and two outs, West busted a line drive that hit the first baseman in fair territory, then floated away enough for her to record the double and drive in both runners, putting the score at 6-6 and sending the game into extra innings.
Liberty shut down the Bulldogs in the top of the eighth, as Tiffani Smith came into the game and kept Gardner-Webb hitless.
With Meredith Baisden placed on second in the bottom of the eighth, Howard reached on a fielder's choice with a bunt down the third base line, and Baisden was out at third. But Howard rounded first and was safe at second to put herself in scoring position with one out.
At that point, Hendrix extended her hitting streak to six games, roping a single that traveled in similar fashion to West's two-run hit, as it bounced off Fullwood at first and rolled away, allowing Howard to score from second and give Liberty the 7-6 victory.
With the win, the Lady Flames improve to 25-11 overall and 8-3 in the Big South, while the Bulldogs drop to 15-27 overall and 5-8 in conference play.
Law was 3-for-4 at the plate, driving in one Liberty run, while West batted 2-for-4 with two RBIs and Hendrix drove in the game-winner with her hit.
Gardner-Webb was led by Ward, who was 2-for-4 with three RBIs.
Smith (15-3) picked up her second win of the day in the circle, giving up no hits in one complete inning.
Jessica Milligan drops to 2-3 on the year, throwing 1/3 of an inning and giving up one hit.
The two teams will conclude the three-game series tomorrow with a single game at 1 p.m.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Smith, Tiffani (15-3)
L: MILLIGAN, Jessica (2-3)
Batting:
HR: WARD, Mandy 1
RBI: WARD, Mandy 3 ; HARRELL, Melody 2
SH: HARRELL, Melody 1
Base Running:
RUNS: FULLWOOD, Christa 1 ; MORENUS, McKenzie 1 ; WARD, Mandy 1 ; HUTCHINSON, Lindsea 1 ; WITTER, Kelsey 1 ; COFFEY, Alison 1
SB: WITTER, Kelsey 1
Batting:
2B: Law, Jenny 1 ; West, Kaylee 1
HR: Law, Jenny 1
RBI: Law, Jenny 1 ; West, Kaylee 2 ; Hendrix, Cassie 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Law, Jenny 2 ; Bensinger, Ashley 2 ; Strickland, Kelly 2 ; Howard, Danielle 1
SB: DePasquale, Amber 1
Game Leaders
AB
4
R
0
H
2
RBI
2
AB
3
R
2
H
1
RBI
0
AB
4
R
0
H
1
RBI
0
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