@GWUBaseball  |  Game InfoGraphic  |  @BigSouthBase

BOILING SPRINGS – Collin Thacker hit a long two-run home run and drove in three runs to power Gardner-Webb's 5-3 win in the opener of Thursday's Big South Conference twinbill vs. Winthrop.

The win gave the Runnin' Bulldogs (35-18, 13-9 Big South) the most wins for any team in the school's Division I era – surpassing the 2011 squad's 34-wins season.

Thacker's blast – his fourth of the season – in the fourth inning erased a 1-0 deficit and was part of a three-run burst that gave his squad the lead for good. The Wilmington, N.C., junior stepped to the plate after Justin Kunz led off and was hit by a pitch – and hammered the first pitch deep and quick to center.

Danny Sullivan followed that shot with a single to right field, Patrick Graham laced a single to left and Mason Fox legged out an infield single to load the bases. Tyler Best capped the scoring with a line drive sacrifice fly to left, but the Eagles (27-24, 11-11 Big South) got out of the jam without any more damage.

Thacker added to his RBI total with a sacrifice fly in the fifth, following a Paul Trick single and a Kunz double for a 4-1 lead.

Fox walked to lead off the sixth, stole second and scored on Best's RBI single for a comfortable 5-1 lead – and Gardner-Webb's bullpen would hold the rest of the way.

Winthrop took advantage of two singles and a throwing error in the seventh to trim the lead to 5-2 and got a double from Roger Gonzalez and a sacrifice fly line drive from Mitch Spires in the eighth to make the score 5-3.

Gardner-Webb closer Wil Sellers shut down the rally from there, getting a strikeout to end the eighth and fanning a pair in the ninth for his 11th save of the season.

Starter Brad Haymes (10-3) was strong in a scheduled short start, hurling 5.0 innings without allowing an earned run. The senior fanned seven, scattered four hits – including two infield singles – and did not issue a walk.

Haymes became the first 10-game winner for Gardner-Webb since Abe Gonzalez won 11 games in 2000. The Tightsqueeze, Va., standout is the first GWU pitcher to ever win 10 games and strike out more than 100 batters in a single season. He has 109 strikeouts and only 13 walks in 14 starts.

Gardner-Webb managed 10 hits in the game, with Thacker (2-for-3, HR, 3 RBI), Graham (2-for-3) and Fox (2-for-2, SB) leading the way. Trick (1-for-4), Kunz (1-for-3, 2B), Sullivan (1-for-4) and Best (1-for-2, 2 RBI) also had hits for the 'Dogs.

Winthrop ace Sam Kmiec (6-6) took the mound loss, allowing four runs on eight hits in 5.0 innings of work. He struck out three and did not issue a walk. The Eagles' bullpen was solid, allowing just one run in the final 3.0 innings pitched.

Winthrop also had 10 hits in the game, with Tyler Asbill (3-for-5, RBI) leading the way.