BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. – Gardner-Webb improved to 17-12 overall, as head coach Tom Cole earned career victory No. 500 with a sweep of NC Central on Tuesday evening.

The Runnin' Bulldogs run-ruled the Eagles in both games, winning 10-2 in the first contest, and 17-5 in the second game.

Game One: Gardner-Webb 10, NC Central 2 (6 innings)

Reigning Big South Conference Freshman of the Week Katie Prebble collected her first hit of the day in the bottom of the first, and a throwing error allowed Andria Booth and Weslyn Almond to score. At the end of the first, Gardner-Webb held a 2-0 advantage.

North Carolina Central tied the game in the top of the third, and the score would remain 2-2 until the bottom of the fifth.

There was never any doubt about a Gardner-Webb victory after five innings, as the Runnin' Bulldogs used a seven-run inning to take a 9-2 lead.

Booth started off the frame by hustling around the base paths for an inside the park home run.

Back-to-back walks drawn by Almond and Prebble gave Kaylee Wacaster an RBI opportunity. Wacaster hit a single on the first pitch she saw, scoring Almond.

One batter later, Rachel Cumiskey reached on a fielder's choice, loading the bases.

After NCCU managed to retire a batter, Jenna Wacaster's sacrifice fly gave Gardner-Webb its fifth run of the inning.

Two consecutive RBI singles by Annamarie Warley and Katie Stettler pushed the Runnin' Bulldogs' lead to 7-2 as Booth stepped up to the plate for the second time in the inning. Booth singled, and a throwing error allowed the final two runs of the inning to score.

After five complete innings, GWU led, 9-2.

Ashley Wark retired the Eagles in order in the top of the sixth and Lauren Huffman batted in Cumiskey in the bottom of the inning, ending the game after six frames with the Runnin' Bulldogs on top, 10-2.

Booth (3-for-4, RBI) led Gardner-Webb at the plate. Eight different Runnin' Bulldogs recorded a hit in the contest.

Wark pitched a complete game and gave up just two unearned runs. She struck out two and walked one, as she won her 10^th game of the season.  NCCU's Courtney Mirabella suffered her sixth loss, surrendering nine runs (seven earned) on eight hits.

Game Two: Gardner-Webb 17, NC Central 5 (5 innings)

Gardner-Webb surpassed its season-high in runs in the second game of the doubleheader, scoring 17 runs on 15 hits to defeat the Eagles for the third time this season.

Prebble, who tied the program's single-season home run record on Saturday, hit her 14^th bomb of the year in the top of the first to give the Runnin' Bulldogs a 3-0 lead.

Gardner-Webb batted around in the top of the first and added four additional runs the following inning.

In the second, K. Wacaster started things off with an RBI single to center field, scoring Almond.

Two batters later, Maddi Johnson tripled down the left field line, scoring all base runners – Cumiskey, K. Wacaster and Prebble.

At the end of two, the Runnin' Bulldogs led 7-0, but the Eagles took away any thought of a shutout with a three-run homer to left field in the top of the third.

In the bottom of the inning, Gardner-Webb more than doubled its run total, scoring eight runs on eight hits to take a 15-3 lead.

Warley scored the first run of the inning on an error by the Eagles' third basemen, before Prebble and Wacaster both recorded two RBI extra-base hits.

Johnson continued the theme of doubles, becoming the third Runnin' Bulldog to hit a double in the inning. Her RBI hit scored K. Wacaster and made the score 12-9 in favor of Gardner-Webb.

Stettler and Booth batted in the final three runs of the inning, with Stettler recording a two RBI base knock and Booth an RBI single.

Although the Runnin' Bulldogs led 15-3 after three innings, after NC Central scored twice in the top of the fourth, the 'Dogs answered with two additional runs.

Both of Gardner-Webb's runs in the bottom of the frame came in the form of a bases loaded walk. Facing a full count, Johnson took ball four, and Lily Pressley scored. After Callie Thornton reached via a fielder's choice and NCCU stopped a run from scoring, Warley was hit by a pitch, sending Madi Lewis home.

Laken Myers retired the Eagles in order in the bottom of the fifth as Gardner-Webb won, 17-5, and coach Tom Cole earned career win No. 500.

Myers threw a complete game, the third of her career. She gave up five runs (three earned) and walked three. NCCU's Clarie Eosso took the loss, spending three innings in the circle.

Six Runnin' Bulldogs – Booth, Almond, Prebble, K. Wcaster, Johnson and Stettler – all had a multi-hit game. Cumiskey and J. Wacaster each had one hit.
Johnson (5 RBIs), Prebble (4 RBIs) and K. Wacaster (3 RBIs) combined to bat in 12 of Gardner-Webb's 15 runs.

The Runnin' Bulldogs will return to action for a three-game series against Big South Conference opponent Presbyterian. Game one will take place at 4 p.m. on Friday, March 16, at Brinkley Stadium. A doubleheader will start at 2 p.m. the following day.