BOX SCORE

RADFORD, Va. – Dusty Quattlebaum played hero once more for Gardner-Webb in the seventh inning with a two out, two-run double to lift the Runnin' Bulldogs to a 5-4 win over Radford on Saturday in the second game of a Big South series.

Radford (25-17, 10-7 Big South) was led offensively with multi-hit games by Carl Travers who went 2-for-5 with an RBI and Blake Sipe who went 2-for-3 and scored a run. Brett Mollenhauer also plated a run with a squeeze bunt single up the first base line in the fourth inning.

Quattlebaum, who brought home the go-ahead run for the second straight game, saw his at-bat play out exactly like last night's, blasting a 0-2 pitch to left center to give Gardner-Webb (27-13-1, 11-9) its seventh straight win.

The Highlanders dropped their second Big South game in a row and their first league series since March.

“They're finding a way to win these baseball games, and we're not,” head coach Joe Raccuia said. “I wouldn't say that we're finding ways to lose, but we haven't done enough to win either game of this series. [Mark] Peterson threw well for us again, but just made one mistake. He pitched well enough against this team. We had two opportunities with the bases loaded and only got one run out of those situations – that comes back to haunt you.”

“Quattlebaum gets just the one hit, but it's the one hit that brings in the big runs again. They have had two well-played games”


Gardner-Webb struck first in the second inning with a two out Adam McFarland double followed by a Zeke Blanton infield single inside the bag at third allowing McFarland to score from second to make it 1-0 game.

The Runnin' Bulldogs went up 2-0 in the third on a single by defending Big South Player of the Week Jake Watts, who scored Aaron Miller on a single through the right side. Miller led the inning off with an up-the-middle single.

The Highlanders responded in their half of the third by loading the bases for Matt Hillsinger who hit a sacrifice fly to left center field to score Sipe and cut the Gardner-Webb lead to 2-1. Radford left two on in the inning though, as Gardner-Webb center fielder Benji Jackson made a tremendous catch off the bat of Alex Guerra against the wall to end the inning.

McFarland led the fourth inning off for the Runnin' Bulldogs with a double to left center and later scored on a sac fly by catcher John Harris to make it 3-1.

The Highlanders answered back in the home half, taking a 4-3 lead. Jake Taylor led the inning off with a double and scored on Mollenhauer's bunt single to make it 3-2. The Highlanders tied the game on a double play ball when Ryan Burgess scored, then took the lead on the next play when Travers singled into left field to score Mollenhauer.

Gardner-Webb left-hander Kyle Paeplow went six innings in his start to pick up the win (3-1). Brett Stackhouse retired the final Radford batter in the ninth to earn his first save.

Right-hander Mark Peterson took the loss (4-2) for Radford – he lasted into the eighth inning.

Game three of the series is Sunday at 2 p.m.