DURHAM, N.C. – Gardner-Webb returned to action after a week off and swept the North Carolina Central Eagles with an 8-0 shutout in game one and 15-4 victory in game two thanks to offensive firepower from Annamarie Warley and Kaylee Wacaster.
 
Game One: Gardner-Webb 8, North Carolina Central 0
 
In the opening game of the non-conference doubleheader, two big innings and a complete game shutout from pitcher Brooke Perry led the Runnin' Bulldogs past NCCU, 8-0, in five innings.
 
The 'Dogs began the day with a display of offensive firepower in the first inning as K. Wacaster homered following Andria Booth's walk and Warley's base knock to center field. Wacaster's home run put the 'Dogs in front, 3-0.
 
Reigning Big South Freshman of the Week Autumn Owen continued her home run hitting with a two-out solo homer to left field in the top of the third. It was her fourth homer in her last seven at-bats extending back to last week's doubleheader against Appalachian State.
 
Gardner-Webb's lead was doubled in the top of the fourth thanks to Warley.
 
With the bases loaded, Warley stepped to the plate and took one pitch before hammering a ball over the fence in left center field for a grand slam and gave Gardner-Webb a sizeable advantage, 8-0.
 
In the circle, Perry (10-5) shutout the Eagles. Over the final two innings, she allowed just a single and walk. In all, the redshirt sophomore surrendered six hits and struck out five in a complete-game effort.
 
The Eagles' Kiara Hurley took the loss. She surrendered eight runs on 11 hits in five innings.
 
At the plate, Weslyn Almond was a perfect 2-for-2 with a run scored, while Warley (2-for-3, 4 RBI), K. Wacaster (2-for-3, 3 RBI) and Meredith Ferguson (2-for-3) each recorded two hits as well.
 
Game Two: Gardner-Webb 15, North Carolina Central 4
 
In the final game of the doubleheader, the 'Dogs scored multiple runs in four of the five innings to earn the sweep of the Eagles with a 15-4 victory.
 
In the top of the first, a one out walk by Warley, followed by back-to-back singles by K. Wacaster and Perry helped the Runnin' Bulldogs a take a 1-0 lead.
 
With Wacaster and Perry on the corners, Owen  tripled down the left field line, allowing the two base runners to score. Owen herself crossed home plate on a muffed throw as Gardner-Webb extended its lead to four runs.
 
North Carolina Central got one run back in the bottom of the first inning, and the teams traded two-run home runs in the third.
 
In the top of the third, Perry belted a ball over the left field fence, and in the bottom of the frame, Dalika Wallace sent one over the fence in the same location.
 
After three complete innings, Gardner-Webb led, 6-3.
 
Four combined runs were scored in the fourth inning, with the Runnin' Bulldogs scoring three of the four. An RBI single, followed by RBI doubles by K. Wacaster and Owen – both of which went to left field – gave Gardner-Webb a 9-3 advantage, but NCCU added a run of its own in the bottom of the frame.
 
The fifth inning was Gardner-Webb's biggest, as six runs crossed the plate. A fielding error allowed Lily Pressley to score the Runnin' Bulldogs' first run of the inning before K. Wacaster and Perry each batted in two runs during their at-bat.
 
Owen's RBI single plated the final run of the day and GWU held a double-digit lead, 15-4, after the top of the fifth.
 
Reah Barger, who pitched the final 2.1 innings in relief of Laken Myers, got a double play and fly out to end the game and help Gardner-Webb pick up its 17 victory.
 
Barger won her second game of the year. She surrendered just one unearned run and gave up only two hits. The Eagles' Claire Esso took the loss. Esso spent 4.1 innings in the circle and gave up all 15 runs, 14 of which were earned.
 
At the plate, K. Wacaster and Owen both went 4-for-4 and had a combined seven RBI. Perry was 3-for-3 and batted in a team-high five runs. North Carolina Central's Olivia Daniel accounted for three of her team's six hits.
 
The Runnin' Bulldogs are now 17-9 overall and will begin Big South Conference play with a three-game series against Radford this weekend. Game one is scheduled for 6 p.m. on Friday, March 22, and a doubleheader will begin at 1 p.m. the following day.