BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. – Gardner-Webb piled up 11 runs on 15 hits to move past Lafayette 11-3 on Saturday evening at the Spring in the Springs tournament.
The Leopards split their two games on Saturday, winning the first game in walk-off fashion, 7-6, via Jordan Goedel's three-run home run.
 
In the nightcap, the offense started early for the Leopards, utilizing some two-out magic in the top of the first. Katie Harrington singled and scored on Kylee Sweet's double. Lafayette led 1-0.
 
The Runnin' Bulldogs answered with three runs in the bottom of the second. Taylor Dreher's two-run triple was the big hit of the inning off Lafayette starter Parker Rowden. In the third, Rowden got the first two outs quickly before three straight hits led to a pair of runs. Maggie Knight's two-run single gave Gardner-Webb a 5-1 lead.
 
Lafayette battled back with two runs in the fourth inning. Freshman Ava Butler (double) and senior Maggie Klug (single) each belted run-scoring hits as Lafayette cut the deficit to 5-3.
 
In the home half of the fourth, Gardner-Webb scored five unearned runs on five hits to stretch its lead to 10-3 before clinching the victory in the fifth on an RBI-triple from Madden McMahan.
 
Rowden was credited with her first loss of the season after giving up seven runs on eight hits with six walks over three innings.  Hannah Frye collected the win, surrendering three runs on five hits over three innings.
 
Lafayette will close out the three-day event on Sunday at 9 a.m. vs. North Dakota State.