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BOILING SPRINGS – High Point used a three-run fifth inning to create enough distance and held on for a 5-2 win over Gardner-Webb Sunday to avoid the sweep in the finale of a three-game Big South Conference series.

The Runnin' Bulldogs (25-14, 5-7 Big South) won their second Big South series of the season – both at home – with its performances on Friday and Saturday, but couldn't generate enough offense on Sunday to pull out the win.

Gardner-Webb went up 1-0 in the first inning, taking advantage of a walk to Collin Thacker and a two-out single by Danny Sullivan to get men on the corner. A failed pickoff attempt at first got away into the fence, allowing Thacker to easily trot home for the early lead.

High Point starter Andrew Gottfried worked out of that jam, however, stranding Sullivan at second base – and settled in nicely on the mound.

After J.J. Woodard singled with one out in the third, the Panthers (23-13, 8-4 Big South) worked some two-out magic to take the lead for good, getting a single down the left field line from Chris Clare to put men on the corners.

Josh Greene followed with a ringing, line drive double to the fence in center, just over an outstretched glove to drive home Woodard and Clare for a 2-1 lead. High Point nearly extended its lead further, but Greene was thrown out at the plate on a laser from centerfield by Mason Fox for the third out.

The three-run burst in the fifth by High Point proved too much to overcome.

Woodard led off the frame with a high floater to right that went for a double and moved to third on a sacrifice bunt. Clare came through with another RBI single to push the lead to 3-1 and – after Greene singled to second base – Dominic Fazio snuck a two-run double inside the bag at third base for a 5-1 lead. Gardner-Webb starter Bradley Hallman got out of the inning without further damage, but the Panthers were too far ahead.

A double play erased a Sullivan hit in the sixth and a Justin Kunz leadoff single in the seventh was stranded on second. The Runnin' Bulldogs finally mounted a brief rally in the eighth, getting a sharp single to left from Taylor Fisher to lead off the inning and a hard RBI double to right from Tyler Best that cut the lead to 5-2. With the meat of the GWU batting order coming to the plate, High Point relief ace Tyler Britton recorded a strikeout, an outfield pop fly and an infield fly to end the rally before it gained steam.

Britton then retired the 'Dogs in order in the ninth to seal the game.

Hallman (4-3) took the loss, allowing five runs on 10 hits in 5.0 innings of work (one strikeout). Wil Sellers hurled 3.0 scoreless and Tyler Johnson pitched a scoreless ninth to keep the game within reach for the Runnin' Bulldogs.

Gardner-Webb managed eight hits in the game, but was an unfortunate 0-for-11 on the day with runners in scoring position.

Kunz continued his surge at the plate, going 3-for-4 – and narrowly missing a four-hit day when he lined out hard to second base in the ninth. Sullivan (2-for-3) and Fisher (2-for-4, run) also had a pair of hits for Gardner-Webb. Best (1-for-4, 2B, RBI) had the only other knock for the home team.

Gottfried (4-2) picked up the win, working 6.2 innings without allowing an earned run. He fanned three, walked two and scattered six singles. Britton worked 2.1 innings of relief to finish the game for High Point, allowing one run on two hits (three strikeouts).

The Panthers – who had just five hits combined in the previous two games in the series – came alive at the plate Sunday in volume and timeliness. High Point had 12 hits, including four doubles, and saw the middle of the order combine for six hits and all five RBI.

Clare (2-for-5, RBI, 2 runs), Greene (2-for-4, 2B, 2 RBI) and Fazio (2-for-4, 2B, 2 RBI) powered the surge, with Woodard (2-for-3, 2B, 2 runs) coming through from the bottom of the order.

Gardner-Webb continues its seven-game homestand on Tuesday, hosting Charlotte at 6:00 pm. The game will air live on The Big South (bigsouthsports.com).