Troy sweeps twinbill to blank GWU
Bulldoges suffer first shutout since March 2017
Special to The Star
TROY, Ala. — The Gardner-Webb baseball team held an early lead over Troy in the first game of Saturday's doubleheader before surrendering runs in the middle innings to fall, 6-3.
In the second game, GWU was shut out for the first time in 2018, 6-0, in the nightcap.
Gardner-Webb (10-6) was swept in a non-conference three-game weekend series for the first time since bowing three times to Appalachian State February 24-26, 2017. The second game was also the first time that the Runnin' Bulldogs failed to produce a run in a game since a 6-0 loss to UMBC on March 5, 2017.
Troy improves to 11-5 on the season after its fifth straight win.
Game one — Troy scored a pair of runs in each of the fourth and fifth innings to take the 6-3 decision over GWU.
Chandler Redmond's 2-run double put the 'Dogs in front early, 2-0. But Troy tied it in the fourth. Joey Denison's two-run double in the fifth put Troy ahead for good.
GWU got a single by Redmond and a double from Eric Jones in the ninth. But a ground ball out by Brooks Veal brought in the only run the 'Dogs could manage.
Bradley Hallman (2-1) took the loss for the Diamond 'Dogs, giving up four runs, three earned, on six hits in 7.0 innings.
Game two — Troy scored six runs in the first three innings, while Gardner-Webb only managed to put five runners in scoring position in the 6-0 second-game defeat.
Troy scored its first run in the nightcap on a solo home run by Cole Prestegard to lead off the second inning, before taking control of the contest with a five-run third inning.
The Diamond 'Dogs managed just five base hits, led by Taber Mongero, who was 2-for-3 for the evening.
Max Newton (1-0) earned the win for the Trojans, scattering four base hits among six scoreless innings with three strikeouts. Zack Lightsey, Levi Thomas, and Rush Hixon each worked a scoreless frame to wrap up the contest.
Isaac Campbell (2-1) took his first loss of 2018, surrendering six runs, three earned, in three innings of work.
The Runnin' Bulldogs take on UMass Lowell in Durham.