DURHAM, N.C. – Duke plated four runs in the bottom of the third and cruised to a 4-1 win over Gardner-Webb in the first game of a Mother's Day twinbill at Jack Coombs Field.

The Runnin' Bulldogs (31-17) provided very little run support for ace Brad Haymes for the second week in a row. The senior started the game on a strict pitch count with a key Big South Conference series looming next weekend in Asheville, N.C.

Haymes (8-3) worked his scheduled 4.0 innings Sunday, scattering six singles, striking out two and walking one. The four-run frame by Duke (26-20) saw the Blue Devils pepper away with five singles – including a leadoff bunt hit – and two sacrifice flies to put those runs on the board.

Gardner-Webb closed the gap slightly in the top of the fourth, getting a leadoff single from Taylor Fisher and another hit from Justin Kunz to put men on the corners with one out. A two-out infield single by Danny Sullivan plated Fisher to trim the lead to 4-1 – but Duke righty Brian McAfee got out of the jam with his three-run lead intact.

The Runnin' Bulldogs worked into a fine chance in the sixth, when Fisher and Best led off with consecutive singles to bring the tying run to the plate with nobody out – but McAfee rolled a 6-4-3 double play to slow the rally and a fly ball to right to end the threat.

McAfee then cruised through the seventh, eighth and ninth in order to post the complete game win. The graduate transfer from Cornell pitched well last Sunday in a 2-1 win over No. 10 NC State.

Sunday marked McAfee's second career start against Gardner-Webb. McAfee took a 2-1 loss on February 21, 2015 in Boiling Springs while pitching for the Big Red, allowing three hits and two runs in 5.0 innings vs. the Runnin' Bulldogs.

Gardner-Webb had five hits in the game, with Fisher (2-for-4, run), Best (1-for-3), Kunz (1-for-3) and Sullivan (1-for-3, RBI) collecting that total.

Southpaw Ryan Boelter, who has emerged as a quality arm for GWU late this season, pitched well in a scheduled relief appearance for the 'Dogs. The South St. Paul, Minn., native scattered two hits over 4.0 scoreless frames, striking out four batters and walking just two.

In his last four outings – three starts and one relief appearance – Boelter has a stellar 0.75 ERA in 24.0 innings of work.

McAfee (7-3) fanned seven GWU batters, did not issue a walk and scattered five singles in his complete game performance.

The Blue Devils were led at the plate by Jack Labosky (2-for-3) and Peter Zyla (2-for-3), collecting eight hits as a team.

Game two will begin later Sunday afternoon (approximately 4:00).