BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. – Gardner-Webb wrapped up its four-game series with Rider on Sunday afternoon, falling 17-2 to the Broncos.

Rider (3-1) got on the board with a big swing in the top of the first, with Brian Skettini roping a three-run double into right field. The Broncos drew a leadoff walk, had a single from Scott Shaw and loaded the bases when Brendan O'Donnell was hit by a pitch with one out.

Gardner-Webb starter Jacob McCaskey struck out the next batter, but Skettini took a 1-1 pitch to right for the early lead.

Rider pushed the lead to 5-0 in the third inning when Luke Lesch belted a 1-0 pitch deep to right field for a two-run home run.

Gardner-Webb (1-3) threatened in the bottom of the third. Curtis Robison coaxed a two-out walk, then Mark Black and Alec Burns roped back-to-back line drive singles to load the bases. Rider starter Brian Young got a fly ball to end the inning with the 5-0 lead intact.

Pete Capobianco got things going for GWU in the bottom of the fourth, leading off with a double off the wall in deep center. He scored on a double down the line from Humberto Torres, and Torres scored on an RBI grounder from AJ Solomon to trim the lead to 5-2.

Jacob Marcos laced a single into center with two away and Robison was plunked to force Rider to go to its bullpen, but reliever Alec Sachais worked out of the jam with a called strike three to keep the lead at three runs.

Rider pulled away with a seven-run burst in the top of the fifth, sending 11 batters to the plate. The Broncos used six hits and a pair of walks to power the surge. The lead grew further with a solo home run from Socrates Bardatsos in the seventh and a four-run rally in the top of the eighth that pushed the score to 17-2.

Rider finished the game with 19 hits, led by Bardatsos (4-5, HR, 3 RBI) and Skettini (3-for-5, 3 RBI). Lesch had a pair of hits and drove in five runs.

Sachais (1-1) picked up the win in relief for Rider, tossing 2.1 scoreless frames with three strikeouts. Brian Young was tagged for seven hits in the start, but gave up only two runs. Three more relievers threw the final three innings with no runs allowed.

Capobianco (2-for-3, 2 2B, run) and Black (2-for-3, walk) led Gardner-Webb's eight-hit offensive day. Marcos (1-for-4), Nate Anderson (1-for-1), Burns (1-for-5) and Torres (1-for-3, 2B, RBI) also had hits on Sunday.

McCaskey (0-1) took the loss, allowing five runs on five hits in 2.1 innings of work. He struck out three batters. Connor Maggi, Brendan Bean, Luke Goodyear and Tanner Chafin also tossed scoreless frames for the Runnin' Bulldogs.

Gardner-Webb will be back in action on Tuesday, hosting Elon at 4:00 pm in a midweek clash.