Furman 3, Gardner-Webb 2
Furman 20, Gardner-Webb 5
Boiling Springs, N.C. -- Furman capped its non-conference schedule by downing Gardner-Webb, 3-2, in game one of a Tuesday afternoon doubleheader before scoring a school-record 20 runs in a 20-5 victory in the nightcap at Brinkley Stadium in Boiling Springs, N.C.
With the sweep, Furman improved to 28-18 on the season. Gardner-Webb slipped to 14-33.
Furman 3, Gardner-Webb 2
Junior Lindsey Bert continued her strong work in the circle in game one as she limited the Runnin' Bulldogs to a pair of solo homers over seven innings as the Paladins claimed a 3-2 win.
Bert, who improved to 16-9, fanned eight batters without issuing a walk and allowed only three hits to moved to 6-1 in the circle in her last seven appearances.
Furman opened the scoring in the top of the second as Elise Smith lined a leadoff double to right field and scored on Casey Bigham's triple down the right field line. In the third inning, Courtney Jacobs singles, swiped second base and moved over to third on AnnaRose Borrelli's base hit. Back-to-back walks to Bert and Smith forced in a run before Bigham delivered Furman's third run with a sacrifice fly.
Kaylee Wacaster hit a solo homer to start the fourth inning and Megan Gibbons cracked a solo blast in the seventh off of Bert, but the left-hander allowed just one other hit over seven innings.
Summer Darnell allowed three runs on five hits over three innings to take the loss. She dropped to 2-11 on the season.
Jacobs record two hits for the Paladins, while Bert, Borrelli and Smith each added a base hit and walk.
Furman 20, Gardner-Webb 5
In game two, Furman plated six or more runs in three different innings en route to a 20-5 victory. The 20 runs eclipsed Furman's previous school record of 18 runs, which was set in 1991 against UNC Asheville.
The Paladins broke a scoreless tie in the top of the fourth by sending nine batters to the plate and scoring six runs on five hits and one Bulldog error. Freshman Tess Griswold, who finished the night 3-for-5 with two doubles and five RBIs, highlighted the frame with a two-run double before Sarah Windham added a run-scoring double.
Furman struck for six more runs in the top of the sixth inning to stretch its lead to 12-0. The Paladins sent 11 batters to the plate as Bigham delivered a three-run double into the left field corner and Brittany Houston followed with an RBI double into the gap.
After Gardner-Webb touched up Furman reliever Elise Smith for five runs in the bottom of the six to trim the Paladin lead to 12-5, Furman answered with an eight-run top of the seventh. Lauren Duggar walked and advanced to third when Bigham singled and moved to second on an error. Taylor Vahle's single plated a run and Houston followed with a run-scoring single. Andrea Abbatiello lined a two-run triple to right-center and Griswold followed a base on balls with a two-run double to left field. With two outs, Bigham registered another RBI single that plated two runs when Gardner-Webb committed a throwing error.
Sophomore Emily Demonte (9-9) scattered six hits in 6.2 innings of work to earn the win. She walked one batter and struck out one.
Bigham joined Griswold in recording three hits while also driving in four runs and scoring two. Abbatiello went 2-for-5 with three RBIs and Houston finished 2-for-2 with a pair of RBIs. Borrelli and Windham also collected two hits and scored two runs in the rout.
Ashley Wark allowed eight runs on nine hits in four innings of work to absorb the loss. She fell to 7-6 on the season.
The Paladins return to action in a key three-game SoCon series at ETSU on Saturday and Sunday. Follow the games at FurmanPaladins.com.
Jordan Caskey, Furman Sports Information
