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CONWAY, S.C. – Gardner-Webb led 4-0 after its first two at bats Saturday afternoon, but saw No. 21 Coastal Carolina tie the game in the third and score in every one of its final seven at bats to win 10-4.
The Runnin' Bulldogs (21-9, 2-3 Big South) have dropped three games in a row for only the second time this season. The Chanticleers (19-9, 4-1 Big South) have won 13 of their last 14 contests.
Gardner-Webb plated three in the top of the first to seize momentum. Taylor Fisher led off with a single through the left side and Danny Sullivan drew a five-pitch walk with one out to put two on men on the sacks.
Collin Thacker followed with a single to right, driving in Fisher, and moved to second on the throw – with an error allowing Sullivan to dash over to third. Patrick Graham singled home Sullivan with a single to right and Eric Jones drove home Thacker with an RBI groundout for a 3-0 lead.
Coastal starter Bobby Holmes worked out of the jam, but the Chants could not muster any offense in their first at bat.
Gardner-Webb padded its lead in the second, getting a leadoff walk by Mason Fox. The speedy freshman swiped second base and scored on Tyler Best's single to right for a 4-0 lead. Thacker singled with two outs in the inning to put men on the corner, but Holmes pitched himself out of the inning.
Tyler Chadwick trimmed the lead to 4-1 in the bottom of the second with a solo home run to left center – and the Chants tied the game with a three-run burst in the third. Seth Lancaster led off with a double to right and scored when Matt Beaird reached on a sacrifice bunt that turned into an error. Beaird moved to third on a wild pitch and scored on another wild pitch to trim the lead to 4-3. After Michael Paez singled with two outs, Zach Remillard belted a 1-2 pitch to left center for an RBI double that tied the game, 4-4.
Coastal Carolina added single runs in each of its next four times at bat to slowly pull away – and scored twice on a G.K. Young single in the eighth for the final margin.
Gardner-Webb loaded the bases with one out in the sixth – trailing 6-4 – but Holmes rolled a double play to snuff out the momentum.
Holmes (3-1) picked up the mound win for the Chanticleers, working 5.1 innings and allowing four runs on seven hits. He walked four and fanned one GWU batter. Austin Kitchen worked 2.2 scoreless relief innings and Mike Morrison worked the ninth to finish the game.
The Chanticleers had 14 hits in the game, with Remillard (3-for-5, 2B, RBI) leading the way. Four other Coastal batters had two hits – including Chadwick and Lancaster, who each doubled and hit a home run in the game.
Jeremy Walker (4-3) took the loss for Gardner-Webb, allowing five earned runs on nine hits in 6.0 innings of work. The junior struck out seven Coastal batters and issued two walks.
Gardner-Webb had eight hits in the game, with Fisher (2-for-5, run) and Thacker (2-for-5, RBI) each collecting a pair.
The two teams will wrap up the series on Sunday afternoon at 2:00 pm. Hall of Famer Tony LaRussa is scheduled to throw out the first pitch at Springs Brooks Stadium.