March 16, 2009
Box Score
BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. - After waiting two days for the rain to stop, the Lafayette baseball team dropped what ended up being its only game against Gardner-Webb, losing 9-8 in eight innings. The game was tied eight-all at the end of seven but the Runnin' Bulldogs pulled out the win in the bottom of the eighth inning.
The game was scheduled for seven innings as part of a planned doubleheader. The nightcap was canceled, however, after the opener went into extra innings. The teams had originally planned to play a three-game series beginning with a doubleheader on Saturday but rain canceled Saturday's and Sunday's contests.
Leadoff hitter Rob Froio led the Lafayette offense with a 4-for-4 performance with two runs scored. Leopard starter Zach Fritz, who went more than a week between starts, gave up five runs on five hits in 4.1 innings of work. Relievers Jeremy Atkins, Brian Mostek and Joseph Verdon each gave up solo runs with Verdon being credited with the loss.
Lafayette (7-4) broke through with a run in the third on singles from Froio and Jeff Butler. A wild pitch from Jonathan Ban allowed Froio to score the game's first run.
Gardner-Webb (8-6) put itself on the board with three runs in the fourth thanks to a Justin Loyd two-run double and a RBI single from Kurt Fulginiti.
The Leopards knotted the game at three with a pair of runs in the fifth on a passed ball and Butler sac fly. The Runnin' Bulldogs plated two runs of their own, however, in the bottom half of the inning to put them ahead 5-3.
Both squads put two runs on the scoreboard in their halves of the sixth inning before Lafayette pushed three runs across in the seventh. Justin Shepherd drew a bases-loaded walk to plate the first run and a ground out by A.J. Pisarri knotted the game at seven. Butler was hit by a pitch to score the go-ahead run and make it 8-7 in favor of the Leopards.
Unfortunately, Gardner-Webb made sure the game did not end there as Ty Boyles tagged Mostek for a solo homer that tied the game and forced extra innings.
The Leopards were retired in their half of the eighth inning and head coach Joe Kinney called on Verdon to pitch the bottom of the inning. He gave up a single to Jonathan Ahearn, a sac bunt and an intentional walk before Daniel Cooke lined a double to left center to send Ahearn home with the game-winning run.
The Leopards have little time to rest as they face UNC-Greensboro tomorrow at 6 p.m. in the first of a two-game series.
