BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. – The Gardner-Webb offense proved to be a potent opponent against Longwood baseball on Thursday afternoon at John Henry Moss Stadium. The Runnin' Bulldogs jumped out to early leads in both games of a doubleheader to sweep Longwood 10-3 and 10-2.
 
The Runnin' Bulldogs (9-10, 8-4 Big South) piled up 19 hits that led to 20 runs, with half of those runs coming in the first two innings of each game. Leadoff man Mitch McLendon was a tough out all day, going 4-8 at the plate while scoring four times.
 
In the seventh and eighth spots in the order, Pete Capobianco and Bo Rusher had big days as well, with Capobianco hitting his first collegiate homer in game two as part of a 3-6 day at the plate. Rusher had his first three-hit day in game one and went 4-7 on the day.
 
For Longwood (8-15, 2-8 Big South), the offense totaled 14 hits, but Gardner-Webb's pitching staff limited scoring opportunities, stranding 22 runners over the two games.
 
"They got to our starters early in both games, and we played from behind all day," said Longwood head coach Ryan Mau. "We threatened several times in game two but just couldn't come up with the timely hit when needed."

Justin Looney scored or drove in four of Longwood's five runs on the day. The freshman put together his first multi-hit game of 2021, going 2-3 in game one, and he followed it up with a pinch-hit RBI single in game two. Eliot Dix had his seventh multi-hit game of the season in game two, going 2-4 at the plate in the game and 3-7 on the day.
 
Game 1: Gardner-Webb 10, Longwood 3
 
Rusher and the bottom of the Gardner-Webb order led the charge in game one. The freshman catcher tallied three hits and drove in three runs, both career highs, out of the eighth spot in the order.
 
Rusher's 3-4 day was part of a huge performance by the final five batters in the Runnin' Bulldog order, with those hitters going 9-18 at the plate. Rusher combined with Pete Capobianco and Joe Simone to tally seven of Gardner-Webb's 11 hits in the game. Capobianco scored a team-leading three runs while going 2-3 with two doubles and an RBI, and Simone went 2-4 with two runs scored.
 
That production allowed the Runnin' Bulldogs to offset a game where the top four in the order went 2-14 at the plate, with leadoff man Mitch McLendon garnering both base hits while going 2-3.
 
For Longwood, Justin Looney had a hand in all three Lancer runs. The freshman catcher tallied two base hits, his first multi-hit game of 2021, while going 2-4 at the plate. He posted an RBI double and also scored twice.
 
The Runnin' Bulldogs notched two runs in each of the first two innings, but Longwood starter Andrew Melnyk settled things down.
 
The Lancers battled back, putting runners on base in seven of the nine innings. Looney scored in the fourth on a Hayden Harris sacrifice fly before doubling home Ricky Jimenez in the sixth. Cullan Wadsworth singled home Looney to cut Gardner-Webb's lead to 4-3.
 
Gardner-Webb answered with three runs of their own in the bottom of the sixth. Rusher doubled home two runs before scoring on a wild pitch to extend the lead to 7-3.
 
Runnin' Bulldog starter Mason Miller (3-1) earned the win after dancing around five hits, two walks and two hit batters. The senior right-hander struck out six while giving up three runs, two earned.
 
For Longwood, Andrew Melnyk (0-1) took the loss after giving up seven runs on eight hits and three walks in 5.1 innings. He struck out four.
 
Game 2: Gardner-Webb 10, Longwood 2
 
McLendon led the charge in game two for a Gardner-Webb offense that was efficient. The senior outfielder scored in both of his first two plate appearances as the Runnin' Bulldogs jumped out to a 6-0 lead through two innings. He finished game two 2-5 with two runs scored and an RBI.
 
Seven of the nine starters had a hit, and the Runnin' Bulldogs only left three runners on base while scoring 10 runs in the 10-3 win. Capobianco swatted his first career homer, a three-run shot in the fifth inning that helped put the game out of reach.
 
In the first, a pair of sacrifice flies gave Gardner-Webb the lead. Mendella singled home a run in the second to start a four-run rally. McLendon added an RBI double as Gardner-Webb took a six-run lead. Dominick D'Ercole came on in relief for Longwood and stabilized the game for the next two innings, but by then the damage had been done.
 
James Nelson knocked in a run for Longwood in the fourth inning on an RBI fielder's choice, but Gardner-Webb's pitching staff danced around any trouble, stranding 12 Longwood baserunners in the game. Starting pitcher Bobby Alcock escaped a bases-loaded jam in the fifth, and reliever wiggled out of a bases-loaded jam in the sixth.
 
Alcock (2-1) earned the win after working around seven hits and two walks and pitched into the sixth inning. He gave up one run while striking out five.
 
Sean Gibbons (0-1) took the loss for Longwood. He went 1.1 innings while giving up five runs, four earned, on three hits and a walk.
 
"We have to bounce back tomorrow and find a way to salvage a game in this series," Mau added.

The two sides will play the series finale on Friday afternoon at 1 p.m. Longwood will send Colton Hutt to the mound while Gardner-Webb will start Kyle Ruehlman.
 
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