BOILING SPRINGS – Alec Burns hit a three-run home run in the bottom of the ninth to lift Gardner-Webb to a 6-5 win over Presbyterian Sunday in another critical Big South baseball battle.

For the second day in a row, lightning and rain forced a stoppage in the second inning. On Sunday, the delay lasted nearly two hours. The win pushed Gardner-Webb (20-32, 10-11 Big South) into a three-way tie for fifth in the league standings.

Trailing 5-2 after the top of the ninth, the Runnin' Bulldogs got a leadoff home run from Peter Capobianco to pull closer. Jacob Marcos and Bo Rusher III earned back-to-back walks after Presbyterian (22-28, 9-12 Big South) made a call to the pen and another pitching change brought first baseman Eric Toth on to pitch.

Burns stepped in and belted a 2-1 fastball 432 feet to dead center – more than 15 feet up the batter's eye – for the win. It was Burns' 11th home run of the season and third of the weekend. He slugged a robust 1.545 for the series and crafted a sizzling 2.188 OPS over three games.

Presbyterian took control out of the weather delay, taking advantage of two hits, an error and a sacrifice fly to go up 3-0 after the top of the third. Gardner-Webb went down in order in the bottom of the third and Kyle Decker led off the fourth with a long home run to center – his first of the season – for a 4-0 lead.

Gardner-Webb finally got on the board in the bottom of the fifth, plating two runs to cut the Blue Hose lead in half.

A leadoff infield hit by Marcos was followed by a two-out walk on six pitches to Curtis Robison. Humberto Torres belted a hard single to left center to score Marcos and Daegan Brady came through with another line drive hit to score Robison. Presbyterian reliever Luke Matthews got the ground ball he needed to end the threat with a two run lead intact.

Another solo home run for the Blue Hose, this time in the top of the eighth by Jeremiah Boyd, made the score 5-2 and gave the visitors an important insurance run.

Kyle Skidmore (2-1) earned the win in relief for Gardner-Webb, hurling 2.0 perfect innings. Connor Maggi pitched well in relief, working a career-best 5.0 innings with six strikeouts and only two runs allowed. Luke Osteen allowed only one earned run in the start.

Gardner-Webb had seven hits, with Burns (1-for-4, HR, 3 RBI) the hero. Torres (2-for-3, RBI), Capobianco (1-for-3, HR, RBI), Marcos (1-for-3), Brady (1-for-3) and Mendella (1-for-3) also connected for base knocks.

Presbyterian's Toth (0-1) was tagged with the loss, facing just one batter. The Blue Hose also had seven hits, with Boyd (3-for-4, HR, RBI) pacing that effort. Four other Presbyterian batters had one hit each.

Gardner-Webb will close out its home schedule on Tuesday afternoon, hosting Western Carolina at 4:00 pm (ESPN+).