Boiling Springs, N.C. (Feb. 19, 2016) --- Gardner-Webb scored three runs after two were out in the 11th inning, including the tying and winning runs on wild pitches, to stun Delaware State 7-6 in a thrilling season opener at GW's John Henry Moss Stadium today.
The Hornets scored two runs in the top of the 11th to snap a 4-4 tie, which had held up since the fifth inning.
Delaware State took a 5-4 lead in the top of the 11th when catcher Sam Barber singled to left with two outs, and later crossed the plate when third baseman Devin Beverly followed with a triple to right-center. The next batter, center fielder Darnell Maisonet-Velez, singled in the hole at short to score Beverly, giving the Hornets a two-run lead.
DSU reliever Hunter McVey retired the first two Gardner-Webb batters in the bottom of the 11th on a liner to center and a strikeout. The next batter, Cage Parham, was down to his last strike when he reached first on an infield single to short. Pinch hitter Andrew Massey followed with a fly ball down the line in left that Hornet left fielder Austin Bentley appeared to lose in the lights. The ball fell in fair territory and ruled a double, sending Parham to third and Massey to second.
The next batter, Tyler Best, beat out a slow roller to third for a single, scoring Parham to cut the Hornets' lead to 6-5 and sending Massey to third.
The Bulldogs tied the game when McVey uncorked a wild pitch to score pinch runner Peyton McGuire from third.
Gardner-Webb's Paul Trick was at the plate when another wild pitch by McVey scored Best from third with the winning run, setting off a celebration at the plate by the Bulldogs.
The loss overshadowed a brilliant performance by the DSU bullpen, which tossed 6.1 scoreless innings with six strikeouts before Gardner-Webb's 11th inning rally.
Former Milford High School star Cole Davis threw 3.2 hitless and scoreless innings after entering the game in the bottom of the fifth in his collegiate debut for the Hornets. Davis retired 11 of the 13 batters he faced, striking out four.
Delaware State opened the scoring with two runs off Gardner Webb starter Brad Hymes in the top of the first inning. Hornet leadoff hitter Maisonet-Velez was struck by a pitch and advanced to third when the next batter, Kwestin Smith, reached on an error and moved to second.
Cameron Onderko followed with a walk to load the bases, still with none out.
Maisonet-Velez scored the first run of the game and Smith moved to third when clean-up hitter Bentley hit into a double play. The Hornets took a 2-0 lead when Bartlett followed with a single to center to score Smith.
Gardner-Webb scored three runs off Hornet starter Lane DeLeon in the bottom of the third inning to take the lead. The big blow in the inning was a one-out, two-run single by Danny Sullivan.
The Hornets regained the lead with two runs in the top of the fifth. Maisonet-Velez singled to lead off the inning and Smith drew a walk to put men at second and first. After the runners advanced on a wild pitch, Onderko singled to right, driving in both to give DSU a 4-3 lead.
The Bulldogs tied the game in the bottom of the fifth on a sacrifice fly by Collin Thacker.
DeLeon threw 4.1 innings, allowing six hits and four runs, three earned. McVey was tagged with the loss for the Hornets.
Maisonet-Velez was two-for-four, with a run batted in and two runs scored in his DSU debut. Bentley and Barber each had two hits in five at bats for the Hornets.
The Hornets and Bulldogs will play a doubleheader on Saturday starting at noon. Lefty Travis Dill (so.) and right-hander Sean McGrath (fr.) are the scheduled starters for DSU.
The teams will wrap up the series with a single game on Sunday at 1 p.m.
