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BOILING SPRINGS – Gardner-Webb jumped out to a 4-1 lead and got another solid pitching performance late to beat James Madison, 5-4, to complete a three-game sweep.
The Runnin' Bulldogs (17-1) have won 18 in a row at John Henry Moss Stadium/Bill Masters Field.
After James Madison (7-9) got three consecutive singles in the top of the second to take a 1-0 lead – Gardner-Webb responded in the bottom half.
Thacker led off the frame with a first-pitch single up the middle – extending his hitting streak to 18 games – and moved all the way to third with one out after a fielding error allowed Patrick Graham to reach first.
Chandler Redmond's RBI groundout tied the game and Matt Simmons dumped an RBI single into centerfield for a 2-1 lead. Justin Kunz followed with a two-out single, but JMU starter Brandon Withers worked out of the inning with his team down just one run.
Tyler Best led off the bottom of the third with a five-pitch walk and Thacker delivered the hit of the day – blistering a 2-1 pitch deep over the fence in left center for a two-run home run and a 4-1 Gardner-Webb lead. It was Thacker's second long ball of the season.
The Dukes trimmed the lead to 4-3 in the sixth, getting a leadoff single from Kyle McPherson and a double from Kyle Weston to get the rally underway. Brett Johnson followed with a two-run double deep to right to cut the lead to one run.
Tyler Johnson came out of the pen for Gardner-Webb and – after a sacrifice bunt moved the Dukes' Johnson to third – got a pair of nice plays by Simmons defensively on the hot corner to end the inning with the lead intact.
Gardner-Webb got a fortuitous bounce in the bottom of the sixth to get a run back. After Kunz was hit by a pitch to lead off, Taylor Fisher legged out an infield single – and the attempted throw to first bounced all the way to the right field bullpen. Kunz, running on the swing, hustled all the way around to score for a 5-3 lead.
GWU found itself with men at first and third with no outs, but James Madison reliever Michael Evans got a strikeout and a double play to dampen the potential big inning.
James Madison again rallied to pull within a run, getting singles from Chad Carroll and Ky Parrott to lead off the top of the seventh. A sacrifice bunt moved both men into scoring position and a long sacrifice fly to right by McPherson plated Carroll for a 5-4 score. Gardner-Webb's Johnson would not budge further, getting a ground ball to shortstop to get the Runnin' Bulldogs back into the dugout with a lead.
Wil Sellers came on to start the eighth and came back from a tough count to strike out Johnson for the first out. He retired the Dukes in order with a pair of ground balls – and sandwiched a ground out between two strikeouts to end the game in the ninth.
It was the fifth save of the season – and second of the day – for Sellers, who worked 2.0 perfect innings with three strikeouts in the nightcap. He finished the week with three saves in three appearances for the 'Dogs.
Bradley Hallman (2-0) picked up his second win, working 5.0 innings, scattering eight hits and striking out four with three runs allowed.
Gardner-Webb had 12 hits in the finale, with Graham (3-for-4, run), Fisher (2-for-5) and Thacker (2-for-4, HR, 2B, 2 RBI) pacing that effort. Tyler Best (1-for-2), Mason Fox (1-for-2), Danny Sullivan (1-for-4), Simmons (1-for-4, RBI) and Kunz (1-for-3) had the other hits for the 'Dogs.
Withers (1-2) took the loss for James Madison on the bump, allowing four runs (two earned) on nine hits in 4.1 innings pitched (one strikeout). Evans was strong in relief, allowing just an unearned run and striking out four in 3.2 innings of work (three hits).
The Dukes had 10 hits for the second game in a row, getting strong performances from Carroll (3-for-5, run), McPherson (2-for-2, 2 runs, RBI), West (2-for-4, run, RBI) and Johnson (2-for-4, 2B, 2 RBI). Parrott (1-for-4) extended his hitting streak to 16 games with a single in the seventh.
Gardner-Webb will travel to face Western Carolina on Wednesday afternoon in Cullowhee, N.C. First pitch is scheduled for 4:00 pm.
