BOILING SPRINGS, N.C.- Amanda Gomes collected three hits but the Gardner-Webb softball team dropped the season-opening doubleheader to USC Upstate Thursday afternoon at the Brinkley Softball Stadium.

USC Upstate prevailed in the first game with a 6-3 victory and used a five-run first inning, as it completed the sweep with a 10-0 victory in the second game of the doubleheader.

Madi Lewis and Kaylee Wacaster each collected the first hit of their career, as Lewis led off the bottom of the fifth inning with a single, and Wacaster followed with a double to left field.

Gardner-Webb 3, USC Upstate 6

USC Upstate received two complete-game pitching performances in both games as Lexi Schubert struck out allowed three runs and stuck out nine, while Holly McKinnon allowed just four hits and struck out eight in the second game.

Gardner-Webb took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning, as Gomes roped a double to right field, scoring Wacaster to give GWU the lead.

The Spartans came right back in the top of the second as Brittany Case scored on an RBI single by Ansley Gilstrap to tie the game at one after two innings.

Ryan Rector and Brittany Case each drove in a run to begin the third and the Spartans added three more runs in the top of the fourth, as Upstate took a 6-1 lead into the bottom of the seventh.

Wacaster struck out to begin the seventh but Jill Blank singled and Rachel Cumiskey followed with a double, as the Runnin' Bulldogs had runners on second and third with one out.

Gomes came out big with a single to right field to plate two runs, but Gardner-Webb came up short dropping the opening game 6-3.

Gardner-Webb 0, USC Upstate 10

USC Upstate continued its momentum in the top of the first as the Spartans played five runs on three hits to take a 5-0 lead after one inning.

The Spartans added a run in the third and fourth, as they led 7-0 after four innings.

Gardner-Webb had its best chance to score in the sixth inning as Lewis singled to lead off the inning and Wacaster followed with a double and GWU had runners on second and third with no outs.

Jill Blank was the next to bat for GWU, but the senior lined out to McKinnon for the first out.

Cumiskey followed up with a line-out to the McKinnon, who tossed the ball to third base and caught Allie Barrick leaning the wrong way to complete the double play.

Case doubled to right center and Lindsay O'Steen smashed a home run as USC Upstate completed the sweep with a 10-0 victory.

The Runnin' Bulldogs return to action Friday, when they host Austin Peay for a double header with first pitch scheduled for 12:00 p.m.