BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. – Gardner-Webb earned the four-game series sweep over Brown, winning by scores of 4-3 and 2-0 Sunday afternoon at Bill Masters Field / John Henry Moss Stadium.

The Runnin' Bulldogs (8-10) have won six times in their last nine outings – all at home – as the early non-conference slate begins to wind down. GWU will play at South Carolina on Tuesday (March 15) before opening Big South play on March 18 at home vs. High Point.

GAME ONE – Gardner-Webb 4, Brown 3 (7 innings)
Curtis Robison smashed a three-run home run with one out in the bottom of the sixth inning to erase a deficit and power the Runnin' Bulldogs to a 4-3 win over the Bears.

Gardner-Webb trailed 3-1 after Brown (2-8) scored twice in the top of the sixth, but got a one-out single to right field from Alex Ray to get a man on. Bo Rusher III reached on a throwing error to bring Robison to the plate, and the Penn State transfer belted the first pitch he saw deep over the fence in right field – a shot that one-hopped the fieldhouse and pushed the 'Dogs back in front for good.

Gabe Pilla came on to close the game, striking out a pair to pick up his first save of the season.

Gardner-Webb used a pair of two-out hits to take a 1-0 lead in the third inning. AJ Jones roped a double to right field, then scored on a sharp single from Jacob Marcos for the early lead.

Brown pulled even in the fifth inning, with Nathan Brasher leading off with a four-pitch walk. Jacob Burley poked a one-out RBI single through the left side, before reliever Kyle Skidmore got away from further damage by rolling a double play.

The Bears went ahead in the sixth. Leadoff man Derian Morphew plated the go-ahead run with a bunt single and Gunner Boree added an RBI single to put the visitors up 3-1. Michael Portella and Luke Goodyear came on from the bullpen to get out of the jam.

That set the stage for Robison's heroics and the 'Dogs turned to Pilla to close the door.

Goodyear  (1-0) picked up the win, recording the final out of the sixth inning.

Gardner-Webb had six hits in the game, with Robison going 2-for-3 with a home run and three RBI to pace that effort. Marcos, Ray, Humberto Torres and Jones also had hits for the Diamond 'Dogs. GWU left only three men on base all game.

Drew Janssen took a no decision, fanning seven batters and allowing one run in 4.0 innings of work.

Brown collected 10 hits in the loss, but left 11 men stranded on base and hit into a pair of costly double plays to slow or end scoring threats.

Morphew and Reece Rappoli each went 2-for-4 to lead the Bears' offense. Ace Tobey McDonough (1-1) went the distance in the loss, allowing four runs (three earned) on six hits. He struck out five and walked one.

GAME TWO – Gardner-Webb 2, Brown 0
Freshman southpaw Tyler Switalski pitched 7.0 shutout innings, allowed just two hits and fanned 11 batters to key Gardner-Webb's 2-0 win in the finale.

The Waynesburg, Pa., native set the stage early, using a 91 mph fastball and excellent control to strike out the side in the top of the first. He didn't allow a hit through 4.2 innings, when Jackson Hipp's infield single broke up the no-hit bid. Switalski wasn't phased, striking out the next batter to keep a scoreless tie intact.

Gardner-Webb got all the offense it would need in the bottom half of the fifth after Daegan Brady reached on a fielding error. Trevor Mattson followed with a hard double into deep left that scored Brady easily from first. Jacob Marcos followed with a one-out single to center field for a 2-0 lead and moved all the way to third before the inning was over.

Switalski once again showed his grit in the top of the sixth after a fielding error allowed a fly ball to drop and put Brown's Ray Sass on second base to lead off the frame. A ground ball moved Sass to third base, but Switalski snagged a grounder back to the mound and looked the runner back before tossing to first for the second out. He then struck out the Bears' cleanup hitter to keep the 2-0 lead intact.

The 6-foot-4 lefty worked around a leadoff single in the seventh inning, getting an infield pop up and two strikeouts to end his day in style. New Zealander Connor Gleeson came on to work the final two innings, allowing just one hit and fanning two batters for the save.

Five different Gardner-Webb batters collected one hit each, with Curtis Robison's and Mattson each collecting doubles.

Brown's Santhosh Gottam (1-2) took the loss, despite allowing just one earned run through 5.0 innings of work. He struck out four and walked one. Paxton Meyers came on to work 3.0 perfect frames out of the pen, striking out five.

Gardner-Webb will play next at South Carolina on Tuesday, March 15. First pitch is set for 7:00 pm in Columbia, S.C.