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BOILING SPRINGS – Winthrop took a lead with five runs in the top of the ninth, including four unearned after a pair of costly errors, and Gardner-Webb could not recover in a 7-4 loss to the Eagles in the regular season finale.

Gardner-Webb (36-19, 14-10 Big South) fell back into a three-way tie for second place in the Big South standings – alongside High Point and Longwood. With the tiebreaker scenarios currently in place, Gardner-Webb would be the No. 4 seed and will face No. 5 seed Presbyterian.

The official brackets will be announced later Saturday night for the event, which will be held at Lexington County Stadium in Lexington, S.C.

The tie for second place is the highest conference finish – in any conference – for Gardner-Webb's baseball program since moving into an all-sports conference in 1990. The finish topped the third-place finish of the 2000 squad (South Atlantic Conference) that advanced to the NCAA Division II World Series in Montgomery, Ala. GWU finished fourth in the 2004 Atlantic Sun Conference standings, forging a 19-11 mark – just a game out of a second-place tie that season.

The Big South Conference Tournament begins on Tuesday in Lexington, S.C., at Lexington County Stadium. The park is home to the Coastal Plains League's Blowfish during the summer months. GWU will play the final of four games on Tuesday night, with a start time set for 45 minutes after the end of a scheduled 4:30 pm contest.

Winthrop (28-25, 12-12 Big South) took advantage of a pair of infield singles to go in front in the third inning, as Jace Whitley legged out a bunt single to lead off the inning and scored when Tyler Asbill bounced a grounder down the line at third base and beat the thrown to drive home Whitley.

Gardner-Webb starter Ryan Boelter got out of the jam and settled down, keeping Winthrop off the board again until Babe Thomas hit his first home run of the season over the fence in left center – a solo shot with two outs in the seventh that put the Eagles up 2-0.

The Runnin' Bulldogs, who had been baffled by Eagles' starter Zach Sightler for the first 6.2 innings, finally rallied with two outs in the bottom of the seventh.

Justin Kunz led off the inning and was hit by a pitch, but Sightler quickly recorded two pop ups to stem momentum. Patrick Graham looped a single into right center to keep the inning alive and Tyler Best stepped up with a two-run double to deep right center – tying the game.

Pinch hitter Chandler Redmond came through with an RBI single to right that drove in Best for the lead and was lifted for speedy pinch runner Chris Clary. The Gaffney, S.C., freshman dashed to second on a wild pitch and scored When Matt Simmons dumped an RBI single into centerfield for a 4-2 advantage. Freddie Sultan came on to end the rally with a hard fly ball, but the 'Dogs had come alive.

Boelter cruised through the top of the eighth to keep momentum with the home side, but GWU would not add to its lead in the bottom half.

Winthrop got a leadoff single in the top of the ninth from Roger Gonzalez, who laced a single through the left side on a 1-1 offering from Boelter. GWU went to its bullpen and closer Wil Sellers, but Gonzalez moved into scoring position on a wild pitch and scored on a hard double to right center from Mark Lowrie to trim the lead to 4-3.

Disaster struck in the next sequence, with a sacrifice bunt from Mitch Spires tying the game. The ball was thrown away at first base, allowing Lowrie to score from second to tie the game. GWU caught Spires on a steal attempt at second, but a walk to Whitley put the go ahead run on board. Sellers recovered to strike out Thomas for the second out of the inning – but the ninth man in the order, Kyle Edwards, came through with a sharp single to right to put men on the corners.

Another miscue gave the Eagles the lead, as Whitley scored on a passed ball for a 5-4 advantage. Another fielding error allowed leadoff man Asbill to reach and Brandon Fite made the miscue hurt with an RBI single and a 6-4 lead. Anthony Paulson effectively put the game out of reach with his RBI single to right – which drove home the fourth of four unearned runs. Bradley Hallman came on to get out of the inning with a ground ball.

Gardner-Webb did not threaten in its half of the ninth, as Winthrop closer Zach Cook needed only eight pitches to retire the side in order.

Sellers (1-3) was saddled with a hard-luck loss out of the pen, with four unearned runs allowed on four hits and a walk. Boelter had another stolid start on Saturday, working 8.0 innings and allowing three runs with six strikeouts (no walks). He scattered nine hits.

The 'Dogs managed only seven hits in the game, with Best (2-for-4, 2B, 2 RBI) enjoying a very nice outing on senior day. Kunz (1-for-3, run) was the lone man in the first five spots in the order to collect a base hit. Graham (1-for-4, run), Mason Fox (1-for-2), Redmond (1-for-1, RBI) and Simmons (1-for-3, RBI) also had hits for Gardner-Webb.

Cook (3-3) picked up a relief win for Winthrop, shutting the door on Gardner-Webb's rally in the seventh and working flawlessly through the eighth and ninth. He needed only 17 pitches to retire seven batters and struck out two.

Sightler took a no decision after allowing two runs on four hits through 6.2 solid innings in the start.

Winthrop had 13 hits in the series finale, getting a 3-for-5 effort from Gonzalez to lead the way. Fine (2-for-5, RBI) and Paulson (2-for-5, RBI) also had a pair for the Eagles.

Gardner-Webb's first-round game will air live on The Big South Network Tuesday night (bigsouthsports.com). The game will be the fourth of four contests, set to begin 45 minutes after the conclusion of the scheduled 4:30 PM contest.