Gardner-Webb Sweeps Atlantic Sun Doubleheader From Campbell

BUIES CREEK, N.C.- The Gardner-Webb Bulldogs used a three run ninth inning to record an 8-5, extra inning in game one and five no-hit innings from Zachary Ward in game two, on their to a sweep of an Atlantic Sun doubleheader from Campbell University, Saturday in Buies Creek.
In game one, the Bulldogs jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the first inning on an RBI ground out to first base by David Futrelle, scoring Clint Abernathy. Ryan Quirello doubled the GWU lead when he singled home Sam Bradford with two outs.
The Camels cut the lead in half in the home half of the first inning when Sal Deanda singled to open the inning and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Phillip Strickland. The following batter Tom Rispoli hit a ground ball to short stop, the Bulldogs J.D. Milford threw Deanda out at third trying to advance. Rispoli, who was trying to advance to second on the play scored when Bulldog second baseman Clint Abernathy threw the ball into right field, allowing the run to come home.
In the third inning, Abernathy and Bradford opened the frame with back-to-back singles. Camels starter Matt Kleweno battled back to strike out the next two hitters. After a fielder's choice to load the bases, Abernathy scored on a pass ball by CU catcher Jason Brown to make the score 3-1.
Deanda pulled the Camels within one in the bottom half of the inning when he was hit with a pitch and moved to second on a wild pitch by Bulldog starter Jeff Long. After a ground out by Strickland to move Deanda to third, Rispoli ground out to short stop, plating Deanda.
The score remained 3-2 until the sixth when the Camels rallied to tie the game at 3-3. With one out, Chris Wiley walked and Kyle Ellenz was hit by a pitch, chasing Long from the game in favor of Abraham Gonzalez. The first batter Gonzalez faced Jeff Blick, grounded into a fielders choice, erasing Ellenz. The Bulldogs chose to intentionally walk Deanda to load the bases. Pinch-hitter Jon Sanderlin then drew a walk to force home Wiley to tie the game.
GWU jumped right back on top in the top half of the seventh inning when Jonathan McCoy deposited the first offering he saw from Kleweno over the left field fence for a lead off home run, staking the Bulldogs to a 4-3 lead. With two outs, Futrelle hit a solo home run to extend the GWU lead to 5-3.
With one out in the bottom of the seventh inning, Derek Barrows doubled to left field and was driven home by Alston Hatch with a triple to right field. Wiley then attempted to squeeze home Hatch but Gonzalez made a good play off the mound, catching Hatch in a run down to record the out. Wiley, who managed to advance to second was lifted for pinch runner John Sanders. Ellenz then followed with a double to the left field gap, scoring Sanders to tie the game. With the winning run on second, Jeff Rinehart entered the game and retired Jeff Blick to end the inning.
GWU scored three times in the top of the ninth off Camel reliever Joey Babyak to take the 8-5 win. Abernathy doubled to lead off the inning, stole third with one out, and scored on a Ryan McGirr pinch hit triple. Quirello followed with a single, scoring McGirr. With McGirr on third with one out, Jay Bennett put down a successful squeeze bunt to plate McGirr and give GWU the decisive edge
Joey Babyak was saddled with the loss, dropping his record to 2-1. Rinehart pitched 2.1 innings to pick up his fifth win of the year.
In game two, the Bulldogs scored a pair of runs in the first inning on a single by Futrelle, plating both Bradford and Abernathy.
GWU made the score 3-0 in the sixth inning when Quierello grounded out to score Abernathy.
The Camels rallied to score two runs in the bottom half of that inning when Strickland singled home Blick and Ellenz to make the score 3-2.
With the bases loaded in the seventh inning Abernathy ground a pitch back to Stovall, who threw home to record one out, Brown then threw the ball past Wiley attempting to complete the double play at first base, allowing Milford to score.
With the loss, Camel starter Jeff Stovall falls to 5-5 on the season, while Ward's record now stands at 5-0. Gardner-Webb improves its record to 31-20 overall and 16-14 in the Atlantic Sun. The Camels fall to 20-26 and 12-18 in league play. [Game One] | [Game Two]