Box Score DURHAM, N.C. – Gardner-Webb won its second game in a row over a ranked team, using a late-inning barrage to beat No. 16 Duke 9-5 on Tuesday afternoon.

The Runnin' Bulldogs (29-22) had 11 hits on Tuesday afternoon. It marks the first time Gardner-Webb has knocked off nationally-ranked teams in back-to-back games since beating Florida Atlantic on March 19 and March 20 in 2004.

It was Gardner-Webb's first win over an ACC foe since beating North Carolina 1-0 on March 14, 2018.

Duke (34-17) took a 1-0 lead in the second, but Gardner-Webb tied the game in the top of the fifth on a solo home run by Nick Capozzi.

The Blue Devils rallied for another run in the bottom of the fifth to go back in front, but Gardner-Webb pushed five men across the plate in the top of the seventh to take the lead.

Bo Rusher III started the inning with a single through the right side and – after a fielder's choice – Ryan Kennell singled into right field to put two men on board.

Jacob Marcos walked to load the bases and an error on a hard grounder from Nate Anderson bounced through into right field – allowing Kennell and Capozzi to score for a 3-2 Gardner-Webb lead.

Mark Black followed with an RBI single down the left field line to plate Marcos and another fielder's choice ground ball forced another error and allowed two more runs to cross for a 6-2 lead.

Duke tried to catch up in the bottom half of the seventh, loading the bases with only one out – but reliever Michael Portela rolled a 5-3 double play to get the 'Dogs back into the dugout.

The Runnin' Bulldogs added to the lead in the top of the eighth.

Marcos reached on a two-out single to right, Anderson followed with a single to left and Mark Black hit a single to right that drove home Marcos.

Anderson and Black pulled off a double steal, and Trevor Mattson delivered a two-run single into right center for a 9-2 lead.

Duke led off the bottom of the eighth with a solo home run to cut quickly into the lead. Two doubles cut the lead to 9-4 before Gardner-Webb could get out of the inning.

An error and double put two Blue Devils in scoring position in the bottom of the ninth with one out. A ground ball up the middle plated a run, but Kennell's glove prevented another – as he fielded the ball and made a nice throw to first to get the second out of the inning.

Dalton Wood ended the game with a strikeout, sending Gardner-Webb into its final Big South series with momentum.

Anderson (2-for-4, RBI), Black (2-for-5, 2 RBI) and Kennell (2-for-5, run) each had multiple hits for Gardner-Webb. Eight different batters had hits for the Runnin' Bulldogs on Tuesday.

Connor Maggi (1-0) picked up the win, working 1.2 scoreless innings in relief. Reid Bertram pitched well in a no decision, allowing just one earned run in 4.1 innings with three strikeouts. Luke Goodyear worked a key out in the eighth to get Gardner-Webb out of a jam and Wood kept the door closed in the ninth.

The Runnin' Bulldogs open a key Big South Conference series on Thursday night, hosting fifth-place Charleston Southern at 6:00 pm in Boiling Springs (ESPN+).

GWU enters the weekend tied with Winthrop for third pace in the league standings – one game in front of the Buccaneers.