CHARLESTON, S.C. – Gardner-Webb split Saturday's doubleheader at Charleston Southern, taking the first game by a 10-6 score before falling in the nightcap, 7-1.
 
Gardner-Webb now sits at 21-17 overall and 20-9 in Big South Conference play, while Charleston Southern is now 14-20 overall and 14-16 in league action.
 
GAME ONE
 
A four-run sixth inning propelled Gardner-Webb past Charleston Southern, 10-6, in the front end of Saturday's doubleheader.
 
Tied 3-3 as play headed to the sixth inning, Eric Jones led off by launching his second home run of the day over the right field fence.  Later in the frame, one more scored on a sacrifice fly by JP McGuire, which was followed by a two-RBI double down the left field line by Mitch McLendon to give GWU a 7-3 lead.
 
CSU chipped away at Gardner-Webb's advantage over the next couple of innings, scoring once in the sixth on a RBI groundout by Houston Parker and once in the seventh as Brooks Bryan was able to score on a wild pitch to pull within two runs at 7-5.
 
The Runnin' Bulldogs pushed their lead back to four runs in the top of the eighth on a two-run knock by McGuire.
 
CSU scored once more in the eighth on a base hit by Sam Trent-Beacom, and GWU answered in the top of the ninth on a RBI double down the right field line by Patrick Ferguson.
 
Gardner-Webb used the power of its bats to take an early 2-0 lead in the top of the second inning on solo home runs by Jones and Keiji Parkhurst.  It was Jones's first home run of the season, while Parkhurst launched his team-leading eighth home run of the year.
 
The Buccaneers sliced into GWU's lead in the bottom half of the frame.  After leading off the inning with a base hit down the right field line, Dante Blakeney scored the first run of the day for CSU on a sacrifice fly by Alex Andronica.
 
The Runnin' Bulldogs pushed their lead back to two runs in the top of the third inning.  McLendon reached with a base knock through the right side, and later reached scoring position by stealing second base.  After advancing to third base on a throwing error by CSU catcher Bryan, McLendon scored on a failed pickoff attempt of Cam Pearcey at first.
 
Charleston Southern answered in the bottom of the fourth.  With the bases loaded, Andronica grounded out to drive in Bryan, who led off the inning with a base hit through the left side.  CSU loaded the bases again, setting up a RBI knock to right field by Andrew Bullock to tie the game at 3-3.
 
Gardner-Webb totaled ten base hits in the contest, paced by Jones (3-for-4, 2 HR, 2 RBI) and McLendon (3-for-5, 2B, 2 RBI).
 
Luke Goodyear (2-0) earned the win on the mound for the 'Dogs, giving up one run on one hit with three strikeouts in relief of starter Bobby Alcock, who lasted 3.2 innings, allowing two earned runs on three hits with a pair of strikeouts.
 
Charleston Southern had eight hits, with Bullock (2-for-4, RBI), Trend-Beacom (2-for-4, RBI), and Blakeney (2-for-4, 2 runs).
 
Hunter McIntosh (0-2) was saddled with the loss for the Bucs, giving up three runs on two base hits with two strikeouts in 2.2 innings from the bullpen.  Starter Kyle Sandstrom lasted just 2.2 innings, giving up a pair of earned runs on three hits with four strikeouts.
 
GAME TWO
 
Charleston Southern scored five runs in the first two innings to go on to hand Gardner-Webb a 7-1 loss in the second game of Saturday's doubleheader.
 
The loss snapped Gardner-Webb's seven-game win streak, its longest win streak of the season.
 
CSU wasted no time getting on the scoreboard, with Andrew Bullock launching a two-run home run to right field with no outs in the bottom of the first inning.  One more run would score in the frame on a RBI double to left field by Derek Horton.
 
The Bucs added two more in the second, scoring one run on a RBI single by Houston Parker and one on a triple to right field by Dante Blakeney.
 
Gardner-Webb was held off the scoreboard until the top of the fifth when Bo Rusher connected with a solo home run to right field, his first home run of the season.
 
CSU answered in the bottom of the fifth with a solo home run by Bullock, his second of the game.
 
The Buccaneers scored once more in the game in the bottom of the seventh inning on a RBI single up the middle by Parker.
 
Charleston Southern collected 10 hits throughout the game, led by Parker's 3-for-4 outing with two RBI.
 
Sam Massey (2-2) earned the win for the Buccaneers, allowing no runs on a pair of base hits with three strikeouts in 3.1 innings of work from the bullpen.  Starter John Sendziak lasted 4.2 innings, allowing one run on a pair of base hits with six strikeouts.
 
GWU managed just four base hits in the nightcap, with Rusher's home run being the lone extra-base hit.
 
Kyle Ruehlman (1-2) took the loss on the mound for the Runnin' Bulldogs, giving up five runs on seven base hits in two innings in the start.  Casey Young worked four frames, fanning nine batters while giving up one run on one hit. Tyler Harrison tossed one innings, allowing one unearned run on two hits, while Sebasten Boivin recorded the last three outs, allowing no run or hits.
 
The Runnin' Bulldogs will pause for exams before returning to action on Friday, May 7, opening a three-game Big South series at Presbyterian.  First pitch is slated for 3:00 pm in Clinton, S.C.