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BOILING SPRINGS – Gardner-Webb jumped out to a 6-0 lead in Saturday's opener and got strong pitching from starter Jeremy Walker to top Rider, 8-2, for its 11th consecutive win.

The Runnin' Bulldogs (11-0) extended the best start in the program's Division I history in the process.

A two-run first inning got the ball rolling, with back-to-back walks to Taylor Fisher and Tyler Best looming large to start the threat. A fielder's choice RBI by Collin Thacker put GWU up 1-0 and Patrick Graham made it 2-0 with a deep sacrifice fly to left.

Thacker led off the third with a single back up the box, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt and scored when Matt Simmons reached on a fielding error.

Another two-run inning effectively put the game out of reach in the fourth. Fisher led off with a single and was followed by Best's bunt single to third. Fisher stole third and Trick drove home both with a two-run single that staked the 'Dogs to a 5-0 lead.

A leadoff triple in the seventh by Danny Sullivan led to the team's sixth run, as he scored on Graham's RBI single.

The Broncs (0-6) plated a pair of runs in the top of the eighth, getting RBI doubles from Lee Lipinski and Jake Bender – but Gardner-Webb answered with a pair in the bottom half of the eighth to put the game away.

Thacker delivered the big blow, a two-run double that plated Best and Trick for the final margin.

Peyton McGuire hurled a scoreless ninth to cap the victory for the second day in a row.

Gardner-Webb had 10 hits in the game, with Fisher (2-for-3, 2 runs) and Thacker (2-for-5, 2B, 3 RBI) the key weapons. Best (1-for-3, 2 runs), Trick (1-for-5), Sullivan (1-for-4, 3B, run), Graham (1-for-3, 2 RBI) and Chandler Redmond (1-for-3) also had hits in a balanced offensive game.

Walker (3-0) picked up his third win in as many starts, hurling 8.0 innings and striking out nine. He allowed two runs on five hits with no walks issued.

The Broncs had six hits, with six different batters collecting those safeties.

Brett Kosciolek (0-1) took the loss, allowing two earned runs on six hits through 4.0 innings of work.