SHELBY, N.C. – Gardner-Webb scored runs in all but one inning, defeating UNC Asheville by a 14-6 score in the final game of the 2019 regular season.
 
With the win and a High Point loss to Radford, Gardner-Webb (25-24, 14-13 Big South) moved up to fifth place in the Big South Conference standings and will receive a first-round bye at next week's Big South Baseball Championship.  UNC Asheville (16-35, 9-18) finished the season in ninth place and will play in the opening round on Tuesday afternoon.
 
The 'Dogs jumped out to an early lead in the bottom of the first when Corey Howard belted a three-run home run to right field, his fourth home run of the season.
 
UNC Asheville answered in the top of the third, plating one run on a RBI double by Dominic Freeberger to set the score at 3-1.
 
GWU expanded its lead in the bottom half of the third.  Chandler Redmond drove in one run on a base hit to left field, followed by a sacrifice fly by Howard to send in one more.  A double by Eric Jones put a pair of runners in scoring position for Chris Clary to plate one on a sacrifice bunt, and a base hit by Mitch McLendon would drive in the other to give the Runnin' Bulldogs a 7-1 advantage.
 
The visiting Bulldogs plated a pair of runs in the top of the fourth inning on a RBI double by Carmine Pagano and later a RBI groundout by PJ Heintz.
 
Gardner-Webb answered with one run in the bottom of the fourth on a RBI single by Redmond.
 
Asheville scored once again in the top of the fifth as Brandon Lankford connected with an infield single to drive one run home.
 
The 'Dogs scored twice in the bottom of the fifth, the first coming off of a RBI double down the left field line by Clary, who would also score the second run of the frame on a wild pitch by UNC Asheville reliever Blake Brown, giving GWU a 10-4 lead.
 
Justin Kunz led off the bottom of the sixth by launching a solo home run well past the left field fence, his 11^th home run of 2019.
 
GWU added one run to its lead in the bottom of the seventh on a sacrifice fly by Redmond to give the Runnin' Bulldogs an eight-run advantage.
 
UNC Asheville got back on the board in the top of the eighth on a RBI single by Pagano, but the 'Dogs would answer with two more runs in the bottom half of the inning, with pinch runner Carey Spratlin, who ran for Luke Kaesmeyer who reached via a walk, scored on a wild pitch, and Ben Rowdon connected with a RBI double to right field.
 
Asheville scored once more in the top of the ninth on a base knock by Danny Wilson to set the score at 14-6.
 
Gardner-Webb totaled 12 base hits on the day, with Redmond (2-for-3, 3 RBI, 2 runs), Howard (2-for-4, HR, 4 RBI, 1 run) and Clary (2-for-4, 2B, 2 RBI, 2 runs) pacing the team.
 
UNC Asheville totaled 13 hits, led by Pagano who was 3-for-5 with a double and 2 RBI.
 
Kyle Ruehlman (5-4) earned the win on the mound for the Runnin' Bulldogs, allowing one run on five base hits with three strikeouts in three innings of work.  Starter Noah Davis tossed three innings, allowing three runs on three hits with one strikeout, and Jarrett Thompson hurled the final three innings, allowing two runs on five hits with three strikeouts, earning his eighth save of the season.
 
Joe Sondock (0-2) was saddled with the loss for UNC Asheville, allowing seven runs, six earned, on three base hits in 2.1 innings of work.  Asheville used a total of six pitchers on the day.
 
The Runnin' Bulldogs will now set their sights on the 2019 Big South Conference Baseball Championship, beginning Tuesday afternoon at SEGRA Stadium in Fayetteville, N.C.  Gardner-Webb enters the tournament as the No. 5 seed and will face No. 4 Presbyterian at 4:00 pm on Wednesday afternoon with live coverage on ESPN 3.