MONTGOMERY, Ala- Summer Darnell struck out a career-high 11 batters in seven innings of work and Callie Thornton's RBI double in the bottom of the seventh inning lifted the Gardner-Webb softball team defeated Howard 1-0 on Friday afternoon at the Alabama State Hornet Invitational.

With the victory, Gardner-Webb have now won three-straight games and improves its overall record to 7-4, and after dropping the season-opening doubleheader to USC Upstate, has won seven of its last nine games.

Darnell improves her record to 3-1 on the season and is the third straight game the sophomore pitcher has tossed a complete game.

Offensive, the Runnin' Bulldogs tied a season-low with four hits and struck out six times on the afternoon, but came through in the clutch going 2-for-6 with runners in scoring position.

Megan Gibbons, Rachel Cumiskey, and Amanda Gomes each had a hit for GWU on the afternoon, while Kaylee Wacaster also chipped in offensively, drawing a walk.

Neither side was able to collect a hit in the first two innings as both sides went down 1-2-3 in their first six at-bats, but Howard came close to breaking the scoreless tie in the third inning as the Bison had a runner on third with two outs, but Darnell struck out Reagan Coss to end the inning and esape the inning without surrendering a run.

The score would remain the same until the final at-bats for the Runnin' Bulldogs in the bottom of the seventh inning. Gibbons singled to lead off the inning but was out on second base after Cumiskey hit into a fielders choice. Gomes singled and Cumiskey moved to second base, and both runners advanced 60 feet on a ground out by Harris. Thornton then came through with a dramatic RBI double to lift the Runnin' Bulldogs to a 1-0 victory.

Gardner-Webb will be back in action tomorrow for two games, as it faces Akron at 12:00 p.m. and follows up with a matchup with Eastern Kentucky at 8:00 p.m.