SHELBY, N.C. (Interstat) — Gardner-Webb defeated Presbyterian 9-2 on Saturday afternoon at John Henry Moss Stadium, taking the rubber match of the three-game Big South series.

The Runnin Bulldogs improved to 25-30 overall, while the Blue Hose dropped to 12-43.

Gardner-Webb erupted for five runs in the bottom of the third inning to erase an early 2-0 deficit. Presbyterian had struck first in the top of the first when J. Green doubled to right-center for a ground-rule RBI hit, and later scored on a fielder’s choice. The Blue Hose carried that lead into the bottom of the third, but Gardner-Webb quickly answered.

Merik Carter started the rally with an RBI double that scored Ector, who had walked and advanced on a wild pitch. Kelvin Agosto followed with an RBI single, and after a walk and a stolen base, Kennell singled through the left side to bring home Agosto. Thompson then delivered a two-run single through the left side, scoring Kennell and Hausner to make it 5-2.

Presbyterian trimmed the deficit in the top of the fifth when Amman Dewberry crushed a two-run home run to left field, scoring Green who had been hit by a pitch. That cut the Gardner-Webb lead to 6-4, but the Runnin Bulldogs answered again in the bottom of the fifth.

With one out, Thompson walked, and Guevara doubled. Ector singled through the right side to drive in Thompson, then stole second. Agosto then doubled to left field, driving in Ector and the pinch runner Robinson to push the lead to 9-4. Agosto finished 2-for-4 with three RBIs and two stolen bases.

Carter added a solo home run in the fourth inning, his second hit of the game, and finished 2-for-5 with two RBIs. Matthew Stuart earned the win on the mound, allowing eight hits and two earned runs over five innings while striking out two. Colby Humphries threw two shutout innings with three strikeouts, and Josh Gentile and Jack Iannibelli each tossed a scoreless inning in relief. Devin Pressley recorded one out without allowing a hit.

For Presbyterian, Dewberry went 2-for-5 with the home run and two RBIs. Braiden Eagen pitched 4 1/3 innings in relief, allowing three earned runs on no hits with two strikeouts. Brooks Chamberlin threw two-thirds of a scoreless inning. Starter T. Meredith was lifted after 2 2/3 innings.

The Blue Hose outhit Gardner-Webb 9-8, but stranded eight runners and committed no errors. Presbyterian’s only other extra-base hit was Green’s first-inning double.

Gardner-Webb won the series two games to one after dropping the opener Thursday 11-2 and winning Friday 11-6. Agosto continued his hot hitting against Presbyterian; in the three-game set he went 1-for-2 with a home run and three RBIs in Friday’s win, 1-for-3 in Thursday’s loss, and then his 2-for-4 Saturday.

Presbyterian has lost six of its last seven games. Gardner-Webb snapped a four-game losing streak with the victory.

Interstat’s game simulator projected a final score of Gardner-Webb 4, Presbyterian 2. Interstat’s ELO system gave Gardner-Webb a 61.90 percent probability to win.