March 24, 2011

Box Score

Cullowhee, N.C. - Senior Matt Johns singled to right field to drive in the game-tying runs in the home half of the ninth inning, capping Western Carolina's six-run rally on Wednesday night. However, the second of two lengthy rain delays hit in the bottom of the 10th prompting officials to call the game, reverting to the last completed inning in the ninth and resulting in an 8-8 tie.

All told between delays in the seventh and extra innings, the game was delayed a total of two hours and 11 minutes.

Gardner-Webb (14-4-1) jumped out to an early 7-1 lead, capitalizing on a four-run top of the third inning to build upon the 2-1 edge it held after the first frame. Both teams plated a run in the fourth as Jake Watts drove in Matt Sapp in the visitor's half of the inning while Stephen Notaro doubled to open the bottom of the frame with Cameron Dullnig driving him home to pull WCU within five runs, 7-2.

The Catamounts trimmed the margin to three with a pair of runs in the fifth as Johns led off with a double off the batter's eye in straightaway center field. With runners at the corners, Tyler White laced a double to left field to score Johns and put two in scoring position. Notaro then lifted a sacrifice fly to left center to plate the second run and a 7-4 margin.

Western Carolina (8-10-1) closed the deficit to one in the sixth inning, rallying with two outs. Austin Schultz singled to left with Johns drawing a walk to put two aboard. Heffley then doubled to left center to score both runners to make the score 7-6 until the ninth.

The Catamounts threatened in the eighth, loading the bases with one out but could not push a run across as a pop-up and strikeout ended the inning.

In the top of what proved to be the final frame, back-to-back walks to Sapp and Aaron Miller put two Bulldogs aboard ahead of Daniel Merck who singled to load the bases with one out. Dusty Quattlebaum then laid down a bunt to the third baseman on a squeeze play to score Sapp, stretching Gardner-Webb's lead to two, 8-6.

Quattlebaum was one of three Bulldogs to post multiple hits, finishing 3-for-5 as did Scott Coleman who tallied Gardner-Webb's lone extra base hit of the night.

Dullnig led off the bottom of the ninth with a five-pitch walk with freshman Julian Ridings reaching on a hard-hit ball that tipped off the glove of the second baseman, Merck. With one out, Schultz was hit by a pitch to load the bases with Johns driving the second pitch of his at bat to right field allowing both Dullnig and Ridings to score, tying the game. The frame ended with two men aboard, forcing extra innings.

Johns finished 4-for-4 with the two RBI to lead the Catamounts back from the six-run deficit with Schultz posting the only other multi-hit game as WCU recorded 10 base hits, but stranded 14 base runners. WCU rapped out four extra base hits, all doubles.

Mike Gaffigan earned the start for the Catamounts, working the first two innings allowing six runs on six hits with two walks and a strikeout. Preston Hatcher saw the most sizeable relief work, tossing four and a third innings, scattering five hits and holding GWU to one run with two walks and three strikeouts. Brandon Johnson pitched the final inning and two thirds, surrendering one run on one hit with two walks and a strikeout.

Western Carolina returns to Southern Conference action this weekend as it travels to Davidson to face the Wildcats for a three-game league series. Friday's game is scheduled for 7:00 pm, with first pitch at 2:00 pm on Saturday and 1:00 pm on Sunday afternoon.