Gardner-Webb runs

past Appalachian State
By Bryan Lail
Special to the Democrat

The Gardner-Webb Runnin’ Bulldogs lived up to their name with superb base running and unflinching defense in a sound 10-3 victory over Appalachian State Wednesday night at Smith Stadium.

The Bulldogs’ jumped on Appalachian starting pitcher Nick Terry early, earning a quick 2-0 lead after a lead-off walk to Jamall Kinard resulted in two consecutive stolen bases for the speedy right-fielder. The Bulldogs’ Matt Rizuto and Bubbie Spake accounted for the two first-inning RBIs.

Terry and ASU catcher Adam Beasley struggled to hold multiple early base runners in place as Kinard chalked up three stolen bases in the first two innings alone. The Bulldogs’ Brock Miller contributed two more within the first four innings.

The Runnin’ Bulldogs (15-16) won the hitting contest, racking up 17 hits to Appalachian’s eight, while committing no errors as opposed to the Mountaineers’ lone second inning error forced by Brock Miller’s attempt to beat out a grounder towards third base, resulting in a rushed and errant throw by second-baseman Matt Rizzuto.

Gardner-Webb started freshman Brett Stackhouse on the mound, who originally was expected to fill a short relief role for the Bulldogs. However, Stackhouse proved his ability to handle the starting role, earning his first win of the season while limiting the Mountaineers (16-18) to only one run on four hits in seven total innings of work.

The Mountaineers scored their lone run against Stackhouse when Rand Smith scored on a wild pitch in the fifth inning. The inning was the Mountaineers’ best opportunity to mount a comeback before Jason Altenhof’s ground out left two runners stranded on base.

The bullpen worked seven hard innings after Terry gave up two earned runs on three hits while walking two more early in the game.

Josh Dowdy came on in relief of Terry in the third and provided two solid frames of work, giving up only two hits and no runs in the third and fourth innings. Trevor Mullins also provided two shutout innings late in the game.

“Mullins came in and did well, and Dowdy was effective, but we have to work on being more prepared,” Appalachian coach Chris Pollard said of his pitching staff. “We had a lot of soft contact drop in for hits despite some good work.”

Appalachian struggled to find a consistent answer to the Bulldogs’ offensive onslaught as Gardner-Webb tacked on four runs in the fifth and three more in the sixth.

A total of six pitchers came on in relief of Terry after the starter’s early exit.

The Mountaineers began the ninth with a last ditch effort that saw Jason Wallace and Isaac Harrow launch consecutive home runs over the left field wall off Bulldogs relief pitcher Clay Carrigan. Nick Riddle hit a ball of his own that was fielded just short of the wall in an attempt to make it three straight homers over the same section of fence. However, the surge came too little, too late, as the Bulldogs’ turned a double play to end the game.

Wallace has hit three home runs over a mere 10 at-bats on the season.

Nick Terry took the loss for Appalachian State, dropping to 3-3 on the season. The Mountaineers also lost for the fifth time in the past six games, failing to build on any momentum gained by their win over USC Upstate on Tuesday.

“We try to take some good from a loss like this by discussing our game notes and looking at the positives on the day rather than dwelling on what we could have done better,” Pollard said.

The Mountaineers face Georgia Southern in a three-game road series starting this Friday.

“They do a lot of things well,” Pollard said. “They can run on you and hit. We have to be ready for them.”