CHARLESTON, S.C. – Charleston Southern scored three runs in the third inning and Gardner-Webb's bats cooled off after a long rain delay to fall, 3-1, to the Buccaneers Saturday at CSU Ballpark.
Gardner-Webb (17-18, 5-9 Big South) fell below .500 for the first time this season overall, losing its seventh Big South Conference game in a row and sixth overall. Six of Gardner-Webb's last seven Big South defeats have come by three runs or less.
The Runnin' Bulldogs took a first-inning lead for the second day in a row, getting a leadoff single from Tyler Best and – after a stolen base – an RBI single from Ryan Hodge for a 1-0 lead. Starter Matt Fraudin sizzled through an easy first inning himself, striking out a pair of Buccaneers – but a rain delay halted play after GWU batted in the second.
Charleston Southern (15-18, 5-6 Big South) went down quietly in the bottom of the second once play resumed, but struck for three runs in the third inning to take control of the game.
A bases loaded walk tied the game and a two-run single from Chase Shelton gave the Bucs the lead for good.
Gardner-Webb got the leadoff man on base in the fourth, seventh and ninth innings, but could not get any closer. Hodge's double to lead off the ninth brought the tying run to the plate, but Charleston Southern righty Evan Raynor finished the game without allowing a run to cross.
Fraudin (3-4) had his best outing of the Big South season, despite the loss, scattering six hits (five singles), striking out 11 and walking just one in a complete-game effort.
The Runnin' Bulldogs managed five hits, with Hodge (2-for-3, 2B, RBI) the lone man with more than one.
Raynor (3-3) also went the distance, scattering five hits, allowing one run and striking out seven (two walks, two doubles).
The Bucs had six different players collect at least one hit on Saturday, with Shelton providing the decisive blow. Andrew Widell drew the bases loaded walk in the third to tie the game and finished 1-for-3 with an RBI on the day.
The two teams will wrap up the series on Sunday at 2:00 pm.
