Last Week's Results
04/06 – at Furman, W, 2-1
04/08 – at Campbell *, L, 10-4
04/09 – at Campbell *, L, 17-4
04/10 – at Campbell *, W, 5-0

This Week's Schedule (Time) – Projected Starting Pitcher
04/13 – at USC Upstate (6:00 PM) – LHP Ryan Boelter (Sr.)
04/15 – vs. High Point * (6:00 PM) – RHP Brad Haymes (Sr.)
04/16 – vs. High Point * (2:00 PM) – RHP Jeremy Walker (Jr.)
04/17 – vs. High Point * (2:00 PM) – RHP Bradley Hallman (So.)

Back On Track
Starting pitcher Brad Haymes (6-3, 205, Sr.) got back on track last week at Furman, hurling the fourth complete-game win of his season to date. The former Chatham (Va.) High standout went 9.0 innings, scattered five hits, struck out 10 and did not issue a walk in the 2-1 win. Haymes kept the Paladins off the scoreboard through 8.1 innings of work. He retired the first seven men he faced in order to start the game and faced the minimum through 4.2 innings. Haymes was named Big South Conference/Crons Pitcher of the Week for his efforts – the second time in three weeks he has been honored by the league office. Haymes sits at 6-1 with a 2.56 ERA and 67 strikeouts in 59.2 innings of work. He has walked only six batters all season and has posted new career-high totals in wins, innings pitched, strikeouts and starts (8).

On A National Scale
Gardner-Webb has several men who rank among the nation's best in a variety of statistical categories so far in 2016. Slugger Collin Thacker is tied for the national lead with a career-high 18 doubles and ranks eighth in doubles per game nationally. He also ranks eighth nationally in hits (54) so far this season, which also marks a new career-high total for a single season. Brad Haymes ranks second nationally in complete games (4), sixth in strikeout-to-walk ratio (11.17), eighth in strikeouts (67), eighth in victories (6), 19th in walks allowed per nine innings (0.91) and 23rd in games started (8). Closer Wil Sellers ranks No. 16 nationally with a career-best seven saves. As a team, Gardner-Webb ranks No. 8 among NCAA Division I members in doubles (77), 24th in hits (346), 10th in shutouts (5) and 17th in strikeout-to-walk ratio (2.85). The 'Dogs also remain in a tie for first nationally in triples plays turned (1).

Back To The Park
Gardner-Webb will return home on Friday, April 15 to begin a three-game series against High Point and will be coming off a nine-game road swing that wraps on Wednesday night at USC Upstate (6:00 pm). GWU is 20-4 in its home stadium so far in 2016. GWU saw a 19-game home win streak snapped earlier this season in a 7-6 loss to Lafayette.

A Look At USC Upstate
Gardner-Webb will play at USC Upstate on Wednesday night (6:00 pm), attempting to create a split in the annual home-and-home series. The Spartans (15-17, 1-4 A-Sun) took a 3-0 win over Gardner-Webb on March 30 in Boiling Springs, limiting GWU to just four hits in a shutout win. RHP Cody Brittain (1-0, 4.95 ERA) is expected to take the mound for the Spartans on Wednesday after the team's Tuesday tilt at Georgia State was washed out. Britain is also the team's top stick, batting .394 with two home runs, four triples, eight doubles and 21 RBI in centerfield. He hurled 1.0 shutout inning in relief for Upstate on March 30, fanning two and allowing one hit.

A Look At High Point
A fast-rising contender to Coastal Carolina in the Big South race is High Point (22-10, 7-2 Big South), with a visit to John Henry Moss Stadium on tap for the Panthers this weekend. High Point has three different win streaks of at least five games this season and holds series wins at UNC Asheville, vs. Winthrop and vs. Longwood already in league play. The Panthers also took two of three from Big Ten foe Maryland in early April on the road. Standout righty Andre Scrubb (6-2, 3.69 ERA) will get the nod on Friday and has been the anchor of High Point's pitching staff in 2016. He has fanned 60 batters in just 46.1 innings of work and has limited opponents to a frigid .194 batting average and only 12 extra base hits in eight starts. The Panthers' bullpen has also been strong, with Tyler Britton (5-1, 2.04 ERA) one of eight relievers with an ERA under 4.00 through 32 games. Reigning Big South Player of the Week Chris Clare (.365, 12 doubles, 13 RBI) has paced the offense for High Point, with Dominic Fazio (.330, 24 RBI), Austen Zente (.327, HR, 13 RBI) and Carson Jackson (.299, 3 HR, 23 RBI) also enjoying fine campaigns. Drew Fopeano (.375, 11 RBI) has emerged as well. A dangerous weapon in the lineup remains Josh Greene (.224, 2 HR, 19 RBI), who has forged a .353 on base percentage in 30 starts. The junior, along with Scrubb a strong MLB Draft candidate in 2016, was named Preseason Big South Conference Player of the Year in January. Greene batted .355 with 37 RBI and 13 steals as a sophomore in 2015.