BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. – Gardner-Webb pulled within a run late Tuesday afternoon but fell 3-2 to North Carolina A&T in non-conference baseball action.

The Runnin' Bulldogs (6-6) plated a pair of runs on a single by by Nate Anderson in the bottom of the seventh, which drove home Alec Burns and Humberto Torres. That cut the Aggies lead to one run.

Jacob McCaskey led off the ninth with a long fly ball to left field, but the shot was caught just shy of the fence for the first out. The Aggies (6-7) rode reliever Xavier Meachem's fastball the rest of the way to close out the win.

North Carolina A&T struck first, scoring two runs on two hits and an error in the second inning. The Aggies added another run on a two-out single in the fifth, before Gardner-Webb's bullpen shut them down the rest of the way to stay within striking distance.

Burns led off the seventh with a walk and Torres was hit by a pitch to get two men on board. Bo Rusher III drew a walk to load the bases and Anderson legged out a single deep in the hole at shortstop to get Burns home. The throw got away at first base, and Torres alertly sprinted home to make the score 3-2.

The Aggies negated a leadoff walk in the bottom of the eighth, and Meachem got through the next six outs unscathed for the save.

Ethan Snyder (1-0) got the win in relief for the Aggies, tossing 4.0 scoreless innings with five strikeouts. Meachem fanned three in 2.0 innings of work.

Sabin Roane (3-for-4, RBI) and Tre Williams (2-for-4) paced North Carolina A&T's nine-hit attack.

Reid Bertram (0-2) took the loss for Gardner-Webb, allowing two unearned runs on three hits in 3.0 innings. Phil Fox, Dalton Wood and Jacob McCaskey each hurled an inning of scoreless relief to keep Gardner-Webb in the game late.

The Runnin' Bulldogs were led at the plate by Rusher (2-for-2) and had five hits on the afternoon.

Gardner-Webb will be back in action on Friday at home, hosting St. Bonaventure at 4:00 pm to begin a four-game series (ESPN+).