SHELBY, N.C. (Interstat) — Oliver Ellison pitched a five-hit shutout and Gardner-Webb’s three solo home runs backed him as the Runnin Bulldogs blanked Winthrop 3-0 on Friday night at John Henry Moss Stadium in a Big South matchup.

Ellison, coming off a rough start at Radford in which he allowed six earned runs in seven innings, turned in a dominant performance. He struck out five, walked none and did not allow an earned run while going the distance for his second complete game of the season. The right-hander faced 32 batters, induced two double plays and never allowed an Eagle to reach third base after the first inning.

Winthrop starter Brayden Gilley matched Ellison through the first two innings but ran into trouble in the third. Kelvin Agosto led off the bottom of the third with a solo home run to left field, giving Gardner-Webb a 1-0 lead. Gilley settled down and retired the next three batters, but the damage was done.

The Runnin Bulldogs extended their lead in the sixth. Drew Ripepi led off the inning with a solo homer to right-center field, making it 2-0. Gilley struck out Ilgenfritz and got Liao to foul out before Ripepi’s blast.

Winthrop threatened in the seventh when Cade Norton singled up the middle and pinch-hitter Wilson walked, putting two on with no outs. But Crowley grounded into a double play, wiping out the rally. It was the second double play turned by Gardner-Webb’s defense, following a first-inning fielder’s choice that erased a leadoff single by Natividad.

Gardner-Webb added its final run in the bottom of the seventh. Merik Carter led off with a solo homer to right field off Gilley, his first of the season. Gilley exited after 6 2/3 innings, charged with three earned runs on three hits — all solo homers — while striking out six. Harrison Wilson relieved and struck out two in 1 1/3 scoreless innings.

The Runnin Bulldogs finished with nine hits. Agosto went 2-for-4 with a home run and an RBI. Ripepi was 1-for-3 with a homer and an RBI. Carter was 1-for-4 with a homer and an RBI. Alejandro Sanchez doubled and Ryan Kennell added a double, though Kennell was caught stealing third in the fifth.

Winthrop mustered five hits. Cornelius Wouters went 2-for-4, and Norton was 1-for-3. The Eagles grounded into two double plays and struck out five times. Winthrop left five runners on base.

The victory improved Gardner-Webb to 19-23 overall. Winthrop fell to 27-15. The teams are scheduled to play again Saturday and Sunday in the second and third games of the series. Gardner-Webb will host Wofford on Tuesday, while Winthrop travels to North Carolina A&T on Tuesday.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Winthrop 5, Gardner-Webb 4, and Interstat’s ELO system gave Winthrop a 60.60 percent probability to win.