Boiling Springs, N.C. – The Eagles dropped a heartbreaker in 13 innings to Gardner-Webb Tuesday night, falling 5-4. The Runnin' Bulldogs walked it off with a solo home run off the bat of Ben LaSpaluto. The Eagles fall to 9-14 with a 6-9 mark against Big South opponents.
KEY CONTRIBUTORS
Spencer Yankle (2-for-6, 1 RBI)
Joey Tepper (2-for-6, 1 RBI, 1 2B)
Dillon Morton (1-for-5, 1 RBI)
Willie Lumpkin (5.0 IP, 2 ER, 7 Ks)
Jason Crumley (4.0 IP, 2 ER, 5 Ks)
HOW IT HAPPENED
- With one out, Joey Tepper doubled, giving the Eagles their first base runner of the evening. Spencer Yankle then delivered with a two-out single up the left field side to bring Tepper home and take an early 1-0 lead.
- After back-to-back 1,2,3 innings for Jason Crumley, Gardner-Webb got its first base runner in the bottom of the third when Joe Simone singled up the middle. Crumley sat down the next two batters to keep the 1-0 lead.
- The Runnin' Bulldogs took a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the 4th when Crumley walked Keiji Parkhurst before giving up a two-run home run off the bat of Patrick Ferguson in the next at-bat.
- Jonathan Strauss led off the top of the 5th with a single and would ultimately come home on a one-out single off the bat of Joey Tepper tying the game up at two.
- Willie Lumpkin came in in relief in the 5th inning with no-outs and two runners on. Lumpkin got the first batter he faced, JP McGuire, to strike out before getting Mitch McLendon to ground into a double play, keeping the game tied up at two after five innings of play.
- Neither team plated any runs in the 6th or 7th inning, keeping things knotted at two apiece.
- Joe McNamara was hit by the first pitch he saw in the 8th. In the next at-bat, Tepper reached on a fielder's choice, advancing McNamara to give the Eagles runners on first and second with no outs.
- Scout McFalls reached first on a throwing error that brought McNamara home to break the tie, 3-2.
- With one out, Morton reached on a fielder's choice that scored Tepper to take a 4-2 lead after eight innings.
- After striking out the first two batters he faced, Lumpkin then gave up back-to-back doubles to Eric Jones and Dom Peroni, the second which scored Jacob Marcos who came in to pinch run. In the next at-bat, Joe Simone singled, scoring pinch runner Elijah Bowers to send this game to extra innings.
- Both sides went down in order in the 10th inning.
- Winthrop threatened in the top of the 11th inning, getting two quick base runners off back-to-back singles off the bats of Morton and Hooks.
- Hunter Christopher grounded out which advanced the runners to second and third. Jonathan Strauss and Tyler Baker couldn't get the runs home, keeping things tied through 11 innings.
- Both sides went down in order in the 12th inning.
- In the bottom of the 13th, Skinner struck out McLendon before giving up a game-winning solo home run to Ben LaSpaluto. Gardner-Webb would win the battle, 5-4.
ON DECK
The Eagles will head to Radford, V.A. on April 16-17 for a three-game series with the Highlanders. First pitch on Friday is scheduled for 6 p.m. with Game 1 of Saturday's double header beginning at 1 p.m.