SHELBY, N.C. – Gardner-Webb was held to just five base hits Thursday evening as the Runnin' Bulldogs would fall to visiting UNC Asheville, 3-2, in the opening contest of the final Big South Conference series of the season.
 
Gardner-Webb (23-24, 12-13 Big South) fell behind early, as UNC Asheville (16-33, 9-16 Big South) plated the first run of the night in the top of the first on a RBI single by Brandon Lankford.
 
Asheville added to its lead in the top of the third inning when Lankford belted a solo home run well past the left field fence, giving the visiting Bulldogs a 2-0 lead.
 
GWU answered in the bottom of the third, with Chris Clary leading off with a double down the left field line for the 'Dogs first base knock of the night.  A groundout by Ben Rowdon moved Clary to third base, setting up a RBI double by CJ White1 off of the left field wall to set the score at 2-1.
 
UNC Asheville scratched again in the fourth on a RBI single by Danny Wilson to once again take a two-run lead.
 
Neither team would score again until the bottom of the eighth when Chandler Redmond singled up the middle to drive in one run, pulling GWU back within one run at 3-2.
 
Gardner-Webb looked to tie the game in the bottom of the ninth, but UNC Asheville sent their closer Kole Harris to the mound, who retired the side to seal the contest.
 
UNC Asheville collected 13 base hits throughout the contest, with Greg Gasparro (3-for-4, 1 run) and Dominic Freeberger (3-for-5, 1 run) pacing that effort.  Lankford (2-for-5, HR, 2 RBI, 1 run) also had a multiple-hit evening.
 
The Runnin' Bulldogs managed just five base hits, with Clary (1-for-4, 2B) and White (1-for-3, 2B, RBI) each having one of GWU's two multiple-base hits.
 
Austin Fahr (2-0) earned the win on the mound for UNC Asheville, allowing one run on three hits in six innings of work with six strikeouts.  Blake Brown tossed two innings in relief, allowing one run on two hits with five strikeouts.  Harris worked the scoreless ninth, allowing no hits with a pair of strikeouts to earn his eighth save of the season.
 
Landon Mitchell (7-5) took the loss for GWU, giving up three runs on 11 base hits with seven strikeouts in 3.2 innings on the mound.  Aaron Stewart recorded 1.1 scoreless innings with one strikeout, and Chase Lane tossed three scoreless frames, allowing two hits while fanning three batters.  Kyle Ruehlman worked the ninth, allowing no hits with one strikeout.
 
The series continues tomorrow afternoon, with the first pitch slated for 2:00 pm at Keeter Stadium in Shelby, N.C.