GREENVILLE, N.C. – Gardner-Webb dropped an 8-5 decision at No. 20 East Carolina on Tuesday night, despite a strong game at the plate for the Runnin’ Bulldogs.

Josh Drewery’s three-run home run in the top of the first sparked Gardner-Webb (7-11) to an early lead, but the Pirates rallied to tie the score with a three-run burst in the bottom of the second inning.

The Pirates took the lead for good in the bottom of the fourth, plating another three runs to go up 6-3. Gardner-Webb got an RBI double from Matt Sapp and an RBI single from Adam McFarland in the top of the sixth to trim the lead to 6-5, but ECU added single runs in the sixth and seventh for the final margin.

GWU loaded the bases with two outs in the top of the ninth, but Pirates’ reliever Seth Simmons coaxed a fly ball to end the game.

Leadoff man Daniel Merck continued his torrid pace at the plate, going 3-for-5 with a pair of doubles to lead a 12-hit effort for Gardner-Webb. The Cumming, Ga., junior is 7-for-9 this week in two games. Jake Watts went 2-for-4 at the plate for Gardner-Webb.

Conner Scarborough (0-3) took the loss, scattering eight hits and six runs in 5.0 innings of work – his third start in a row against a nationally-ranked opponent.

East Carolina managed nine hits, with Philip Clark and Jared Avchen each collecting two of those safeties. Joseph Hughes pitched around nine hits to pick up the win with 5.2 innings of work.

Gardner-Webb will take on Wake Forest Wednesday in Winston-Salem, N.C., in its final game of the week