Box Score @GWUBaseball | @BigSouthBase
GREENVILLE, S.C. – Senior ace Brad Haymes tossed his fourth complete game of the season in a rare midweek start and Gardner-Webb outlasted Furman, 2-1, Wednesday night to complete the home-and-home sweep.
The Runnin' Bulldogs (22-10) snapped a four-game losing streak in the process, and won for the second time this season away from John Henry Moss Stadium.
Haymes (6-1) was strong again on the mound, scattering five hits, striking out 10 and taking a shutout into the ninth inning against the Paladins (11-17). He did not issue a walk.
Gardner-Webb took the lead for good in the fourth, getting three consecutive singles from Collin Thacker, Danny Sullivan and Patrick Graham to lead off the inning. Graham's RBI knock to right center plated Thacker, and both Sullivan and Graham moved into scoring position on a throwing error to third after a pitch got away for a moment at the plate.
Furman starter Ted Andrews recovered, however, getting a strikeout and a pop foul in right to keep the damage to a minimum.
The Runnin' Bulldogs added an insurance run in the sixth, with Thacker's ground-rule double leading off the inning. Sullivan lined out hard to center for the first out, but Furman walked the bases loaded. Pinch hitter Chandler Redmond delivered in the clutch, driving a sacrifice fly to the opposite field in left to drive home Thacker for a 2-0 lead.
Furman scored its lone run in the ninth, as Sims Griffith hit a solo home run off of Haymes, taking an 0-1 pitch deep to trim the GWU lead to 2-1. Haymes wasn't phased, striking out the next batter and getting a fly ball to end the game.
Gardner-Webb managed eight hits in the game, with Tyler Best (2-for-4), Thacker (2-for-4, 2 runs) and Sullivan (2-for-4) leading the way. Graham (1-for-3, RBI) and Jacob Walker (1-for-2, 2B) also had hits for GWU. Redmond had his sacrifice fly in a lone plate appearance.
Haymes lowered his season ERA to 2.56 with his performance and has now fanned 67 batters with only six walks issued in 59.2 innings pitched in 2016.
Andrews (0-1) took the loss on the mound for Furman, allowing a run on six hits in 4.0 innings of work. The big righty fanned four and walked one. Four different Paladin relievers finished the game.
Griffith had two of the Paladins' five hits in the game.
Gardner-Webb will get back to Big South Conference action on Friday night, traveling to face Campbell in Buies Creek to start a three-game series.