HIGH POINT, N.C. – No. 4 seed Gardner-Webb dropped a 5-0 decision to No. 1 Campbell Thursday afternoon in the first round of the Big South Conference Baseball Championship.

The Runnin' Bulldogs (31-24) had a leadoff single in the second and a two-out hit in the fifth, but did not threaten Campbell starter Cade Kuehler, who struck out nine in 7.0 shutout innings.

Campbell (42-13) scored once in the first, plated two runs in the third on a ball that hit the third-base bag and caromed into left field – and scored single runs in the fourth and sixth to open up its 5-0 lead.

The Runnin' Bulldogs got the leadoff man on in the top of the ninth when Peter Capobianco walked, but Campbell's Jackson Roberts closed out the game and preserved the shutout.

Gardner-Webb starter and Big South Pitcher of the Year Bobby Alcock (7-3) took the loss after going the distance. He scattered eight hits and five runs with seven strikeouts on 121 pitches. It was the second year in a row a GWU starter went the distance in the tournament opener.

Nate Anderson (1-for-3) and Humberto Torres (1-for-3) each had hits for Gardner-Webb in the game.

Tyler Halstead (2-for-4) and Grant Knapp (2-for-4) each had two of Campbell's eight hits on Thursday.

The Runnin' Bulldogs will play again on Friday at 11:00 am against the loser of Thursday's between No. 2 USC Upstate and No. 3 Winthrop. All-Big South lefty Tyler Switalski (8-5) is scheduled to make that start (ESPN+).