SHELBY, N.C. – Gardner-Webb plated three runs in the bottom of the ninth inning, but the late comeback effort wasn't enough as the Runnin' Bulldogs would fall to visiting Western Carolina by a 4-3 score on Wednesday evening.
 
Trailing 4-0 as play headed to the bottom of the ninth, Gardner-Webb (15-14) led off the frame with a base hit by Colton Sakamoto, followed by a double to right field by Davis Balentine to put a pair of runners in scoring position.
 
GWU scored its first run of the night on a sacrifice fly by Ben LaSpaluto, and would score once more as Justin Kunz reached on an error by Western Carolina (14-15) shortstop Colin Bertsch, setting the score at 4-2 with one out.
 
Corey Howard would single to put runners on the corners, and a balk by WCU pitcher Jacob Corn allowed Kunz to score, pulling the 'Dogs within one at 4-3.
 
Eric Jones reached on an infield single, runners on the corners, and the tying run on third, with one out, but Mitch McLendon would ground into a double play in the following at-bat to end the rally.
 
Western Carolina jumped out to an immediate lead when action started as Immanuel Wilder belted the first pitch of the game over the left field fence, giving the Catamounts a 1-0 edge.
 
Neither team scored again until the top of the eighth when Daylan Nanny drove in one run on a RBI double to give WCU a 2-0 lead.
 
Western Carolina doubled its lead in the top of the ninth, scoring once on a wild pitch by GWU pitcher Noah Davis, later followed by a RBI double by pinch hitter Andrew Bullock.
 
Blake Therrian (2-1) earned the win on the mound for the Catamounts, tossing seven shutout innings, scattering four hits with three strikeouts.  Jack Snyder tossed a scoreless eighth, allowing one base hit, while Corn worked the ninth, allowing three runs, two earned, on four base hits.
 
Aaron Stewart (2-2) was saddled with the loss for Gardner-Webb, tossing a sharp seven innings, allowing just one run on six hits with seven strikeouts and no walks.  Davis hurled the final two frames, allowing three runs on four hits with a pair of strikeouts.
 
WCU totaled ten base hits, led by Bertsch who was 3-for-4 on the night.
 
The Runnin' Bulldogs had nine hits, with LaSpaluto (2-for-3, RBI) and Howard (2-for-4) each having multi-hit outings.
 
Gardner-Webb opens an eight-game road swing this weekend with a key Big South Conference series at Charleston Southern.  Friday's series opener is slated for a 6:00 pm start time.