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BOILING SPRINGS – Gardner-Webb sent 15 men to the plate in a nine-run fifth inning Friday night to power an 11-1 win over Iona.

The Runnin' Bulldogs (5-0) won their fifth in a row, starting 5-0 for the first time since moving to NCAA Division I in 2001.

The fifth inning started harmlessly with a grounder to third for the first out, but Patrick Graham continued a hot day at the plate personally with a sharp single up the middle. Blair Huggins followed with a double deep to left and Graham scored on a wild pitch to put Gardner-Webb up 1-0.

An error at second base allowed speedy Taylor Fisher to reach and Huggins trotted home on the ground ball for a 2-0 edge. Tyler Best and Paul Trick followed with base hits to kick start the major damage, with Trick's single driving home a pair of runs for a 4-0 advantage. Danny Sullivan legged out an infield single one batter later and Collin Thacker drew a walk to load the bases. Matt Simmons followed with a single through the right side for a 5-0 lead and – after reliever Stephan Stafford came on to record the second out of the inning – Graham connected on his second single of the inning to drive in Thacker and Sullivan for a 7-0 lead.

Huggins was hit by a pitch in his second at bat of the frame to load the bases again, and Fisher punched a two-run single up the middle for a 9-0 score. Huggins was caught in a run down at the plate to end the inning, but Gardner-Webb had seized control of the game.

The Gaels (0-1) answered with a run in the top of the sixth, getting a long double from catcher Carmine Palummo to lead off the inning. Matt Byrne's fly ball fell in for a double when three GWU fielder's collided in the outfield, driving in Palummo to trim the lead to 9-1.

Neither team would push a run across again until the bottom of the eighth, when Simmons' two-run triple drove in Gage Parham and Sullivan for the final margin.

Gardner-Webb starter Brad Haymes (1-0) picked up the mound win, hurling 6.0 innings and allowing just one run on four hits. He struck out six and did not issue a walk. Freshman relievers Jarrett Thompson and Aaron Stewart came on to toss the final three scoreless innings for the Diamond 'Dogs, with neither allowing a hit.

GWU collected 13 hits in the game, going 6-for-13 with runners in scoring position. Graham (3-for-3, 2 runs, 2 RBI), Best (2-for-4, run), Thacker (2-for-3) and Simmons (2-for-5, 3B, 3 RBI) each had multiple hits on the afternoon.

Palummo (2-for-4, 2B, run) had two of Iona's four safeties, with the Gaels playing their first game of the season. Iona starter Bill Maier was sharp early, but took the loss after allowing eight runs (two earned) on eight hits in 4.1 innings of work. He rolled seven ground ball outs and struck out two in the outing.

The two teams will meet again on Saturday, with a doubleheader beginning at Noon in John Henry Moss Stadium/Bill Masters Field. Both games will air live on The Big South Network (bigsouthsports.com).