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ASHEVILLE, N.C. – Gardner-Webb jumped out to a 5-0 lead after its first two at bats and tied its Division I era record for victories with a 6-1 win at UNC Asheville Sunday afternoon.

The Runnin' Bulldogs (34-18, 12-9 Big South) recorded its first road sweep in a Big South Conference series since doing so at Radford in 2011 (April 29-May 1). The win total equals the mark set by that same 2011 team, which finished 34-23-1 and advanced to the league tournament championship game.

Starter Ryan Boelter (4-0) worked 7.0 shout innings and struck out a career-high nine to continue his exceptional production as a new starter for the Runnin' Bulldogs. In four starts this season – all since April 13 – the South St. Paul, Minn., native is 3-0 with an 0.67 ERA in 27.0 innings of work.

Sunday marked the first Big South Conference start of Boelter's career.

Gardner-Webb utilized some two-out magic to take a lead in the top of the first, getting consecutive two-out RBI doubles from Collin Thacker and Danny Sullivan to go up 2-0. Taylor Fisher led off the inning with a walk, stole second and scored easily on Thacker's double off the fence in right center – his 25th two-bagger of the season.

Sullivan's third double of the weekend was a line drive shot to left on a breaking pitch that caught too much of the zone.

The Runnin' Bulldogs plated three runs in the top of the second, with Mason Fox using his legs to lead off the frame. The Canton, N.C., freshman hit his fourth double of the series – then stole third – to set the table. Jacob Walker delivered an RBI single into left for a 3-0 lead and Tyler Best reached when his sacrifice bunt was thrown away at first.

Fisher remained hot at the plate, lacing a double to the opposite field in right to move Best all the way to third. Paul Trick walked to load the bases and Justin Kunz' rope to left center was snagged on a nice defensive play – but was deep enough to score Best on a sacrifice fly for a 5-0 lead.

UNC Asheville starter Jordan Fulbright worked out of the jam, however, but his day was complete.

The host Bulldogs went to relief ace Nick Boyles from there, and the big righty cruise through the next four innings – allowing just one single and fanning a pair to keep the game within striking distance.

Kunz belted his sixth home run of the season with one away in the top of the seventh inning to extend, a solo shot to deep center that extended the lead to 6-0. Thacker followed with a single to left, but was stranded.

UNC Asheville (16-34, 5-16 Big South) had its best chance to make a move offensively after the seventh inning stretch, loading the bases on a walk and two consecutive singles. Boelter settled down to get out of the jam, however, sandwiching a pair of strikeouts around a shallow fly ball to strand all three men.

After Gardner-Webb went to the bullpen, Danny Wilson roped a solo home run with one out in the eighth to trim the lead to 6-1 – but reliever Bradley Hallman recorded a pair of strikeouts to get out of the inning with a comfortable lead intact.

Wil Sellers came on to pitch a perfect ninth to cap the game, striking out a pair of batters in a non-save situation. The trio of Boelter, Hallman and Sellers combined for 13 strikeouts in the game, striking out nine different batters.

Gardner-Webb collected eight hits in the game, with Thacker (2-for-4, 2B, RBI) leading that charge. Fisher (1-for-4, 2B, SB, RBI), Kunz (1-for-4, HR, 2 RBI), Sullivan (1-for-4, 2B, RBI), Graham (1-for-4), Fox (1-for-4, 2B, SB) and Walker (1-for-2, RBI) also had hits for the Runnin' Bulldogs – who batted .347 as a team for the series.

UNC Asheville collected seven hits, with Wilson (2-for-4, HR, RBI) and Derek Smith (2-for-4) with two apiece. Fulbright (4-5) took the loss, allowing five runs on fie hits in 2.0 innings of work. The host Bulldogs used five different pitchers in the game.

Gardner-Webb will return home to close out the regular season, hosting Winthrop on Thursday at 6:00 pm in the first game of another critical Big South Conference series. The Runnin' Bulldogs and Eagles will also play on Friday (7:00 pm/ESPN3) and Saturday (2:00 pm).