CLINTON, S.C. – Gardner-Webb scored two runs in the top of the ninth, but stranded two more in a 4-3 loss at Presbyterian Sunday afternoon.

The Runnin' Bulldogs (11-8, 1-1 Big South) trailed 4-1 entering the ninth, but got a man on board to lead off the inning when Sam Fulginiti reached on a throwing error and moved all the way to second when the ball got away at first.

Will Canady followed with a double to left center, driving home Fulginiti – and Taylor Fisher outran an infield single to put the tying run on base. A double steal put the tying run in scoring position with no outs, but Canady was caught in a run down on a ball hit down the line at third.

The Blue Hose (14-5, 1-1 Big South) picked off pinch runner Evan Hyett at first base to stall the rally further, but pinch hitter Patrick Graham singled home Fisher with a clutch, two-out hit up the middle. Jacob Walker followed with a pinch hit single to center to get the go-ahead run on board, but Blue Hose reliever Brian Kehner rolled a ground ball to end the game.

Presbyterian scored a run in the first to go up quickly in the second game of the series, and added two runs in the second to control the early going.

Gardner-Webb got on the board in the third, getting a leadoff double from Henry Rundio and a sacrifice fly RBI from Fulginiti to trim the lead to 3-1.

Blue Hose starter David Sauer settled in, however, retiring 17 batters in a row until walking Ryan Hodge with two outs in the eighth. Presbyterian added a key insurance run in the fifth on a solo home run by Jay Lizanich.

Neither team threatened again until Gardner-Webb's brief rally in the ninth.

Matt Fraudin (3-1) had his second difficult outing in a row, allowing eight hits and four runs in 6.0 innings of work. The big righty fanned seven and walked two in his first mound loss of the season.

Beau Hilton came on to work 2.0 scoreless innings of relief, allowing just one hit.

Gardner-Webb had four of its seven hits in the ninth inning. Fisher (2-for-4, SB, run) was the lone man with multiple hits in the game.

Presbyterian had nine hits total, with Lizanich (2-for-4, HR, RBI), Peter Johnson (2-for-4) and Jacob Midkiff (2-for-4, RBI) leading the way.

Sauer (2-1) worked 7.2 innings, scattered three hits and allowed just one run. He struck out seven and walked three. Russell Thompson came on to record the final out of the eighth inning, before Ethan Wortkoetter was tagged for two runs in the ninth. Kehner came on to record a two-out save, his first of the season.

The two teams will play the rubber match on Monday afternoon at 3:00 pm. The game will air live on The Big South Network (bigsouthsports.com).