BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. – Gardner-Webb managed just six base hits on the afternoon, falling to Ball State by a 6-1 score in the first game on Wednesday's doubleheader.
 
Ball State struck first, pushing a run across the plate in the top of the second.  Griffin Hulecki led off the frame with a base knock to left field, which was promptly followed by a double scorched down the right field line by Seth Freed, allowing Hulecki to easily score.
 
The 'Dogs would answer in the bottom half of the inning.  With two outs, Mason Fox reached on a base hit to left field, followed by a RBI triple to deep center field by Mickey Dugan, knotting the score at 1-1.
 
The Cardinals reclaimed the lead in the top half of the fourth inning.  Patrick Morton came in to start the inning in relief of starter Noah Davis, and walked the first two batters.  Justin Kirkpatrick advanced both runners on a sacrifice bunt to record the first out of the frame, but Morton would then hit Jeff Riedel to load the bases.
 
GWU would go to the bullpen once again, bringing in Langdon Wilson, who quickly got Wilson Baker to hit a ground ball to Taber Mongero at shortstop, who then got the ball to Justin Kunz at the plate to record the second out on a force out.
 
Wilson would then throw two wild pitches, allowing two runs to score to give Ball State a 3-1 edge.
 
The Cardinals added one run in the seventh on a RBI triple to center field by Hulecki, one on a wild pitch by GWU reliever Aaron Stewart, and one in the ninth on a RBI base hit up the middle by Noah Powell.
 
Mongero paced the Diamond 'Dogs at the plate, going 2-for-4, the lone GWU player with multiple hits.
 
Ball State had a total of 11 base hits, with Hulecki (2-for-5, 3B, RBI), Freed (2-for-4, 2B, RBI), and Kirkpatrick (2-for-2) each having mulit-hit days.
 
Morton (0-1) took the loss for Gardner-Webb, allowing two runs in just 0.1 innings of work.  Davis lasted 3.0 innings in the no-decision, allowing one run on three hits with three strikeouts.  Wilson tossed 2.2 innings, giving up no runs on one base hit with a pair of strikeouts, while Stewart lasted 2.0 innings, giving up two runs on five hits with one strikeout.  Carey Spratlin worked the ninth inning, giving up one run on a pair of hits.
 
Nick Floyd (1-0) earned his first win of the season for Ball State, fanning seven batters while scattering four base hits, allowing one run, in 6.0 innings of work.  Nolan Gazouski earned his first save of the year, tossing the final 3.0 innings, giving up no runs on two base hits with four strikeouts.