HICKORY, N.C. – Junior infielder Ryan Kennell went 2-for-4 at the dish with three RBIs and a run scored, but it was not enough as the Gardner-Webb (6-7) baseball team dropped the final contest of a three-game set with App State (6-5), 9-7, on Sunday afternoon at L.P. Frans Stadium.

After a scoreless first inning, the Mountaineers put up a four-spot in the bottom of the second. Three straight hits to start the frame produced the first run before a sacrifice fly and two more RBI hits pushed App ahead 4-0.

However, the Runnin' Bulldogs came right back with four runs of their own in the visiting half of the third, knotting the score at 4-4. The first two batters were retired in order, but senior Aaron Morgan doubled to right field, igniting the two-out rally.

Senior Lawson Knight followed that up with an RBI single followed by a Kennell brought in two more with a base hit up the middle. Redshirt senior Dale Francis Jr. continued his stellar weekend with a run-scoring hit of his own back through the box.

The tie did not last long as App State once again pushed across four runs in its third inning at-bat, taking an 8-4 lead heading to the middle innings. Kennell added an RBI single in the fifth for GWU before Morgan and Knight brough the 'Dawgs to within a single run with RBI hits in the sixth.

However, App State added an insurance run in the bottom half of the sixth and both teams went scoreless the remainder of the game, allowing the Mountaineers to take the game and series.

Gardner-Webb returns to the diamond on Tuesday, March 4, traveling to Fayetteville, N.C. to take on East Carolina. Game time is set for 6 p.m.