DELAND, Fla. – Gardner-Webb’s Brock Miller walked, stole two bases with two outs in the top of the 10th and scored the first of two runs as GWU rallied for a 9-7 win over Belmont in the first round of the A-Sun Tournament.

After batting just 2-for-13 in the first nine innings with runners in scoring position, GWU came through with two clutch hits from the middle of its order in the 10th. After Miller swiped two bases, Justin Loyd beat out a chopper to third to drive in the go ahead run. Loyd advanced to second on a throwing error on the same play, and Bubbie Spake dropped in a blooper to right to plate Loyd for a two-run cushion.

Reliever Wes Cogdill got the first out in the bottom of the inning, but walked Ryan Kincherlow and saw Derek Hamblen loft a double off the wall in center – putting the tying run at second base. Cogdill recovered, however, bearing down to fan Matt Zeblo looking – and getting leadoff man Packy Elkins to fly out harmlessly to center for the win.

Gardner-Webb (27-28) took a 2-0 lead early on two wild pitches, but saw control problems lead to a significant Belmont rally.

GWU starter Jonathon Ban hit a Belmont batter with one out in the fifth inning, then issued two walks in a row to load the bases. Relief pitcher Brett Stackhouse entered to face lefty Carlo Testa, but walked the Bruins’ pitcher/DH on five pitches to send home and run and cut the lead to 2-1. Slugger Derek Wiley then recorded the Bruins’ lone hit of the inning – his 15th home run of the season – and a grand slam to give Belmont a 5-2 lead.

Gardner-Webb got a two-out walk from Matt Rizzuto, a two-out single from Kurt Fulginiti and another two-out single from Daniel Cooke to cut the lead to 5-3 in the sixth, but stranded Fulginiti and Cooke in scoring position.

The ‘Dogs would plate three runs in the seventh to surge back in front, 6-5, but stranded another runner in scoring position after Josh Drewery drove in the go ahead run with a sharp double to right.

Gardner-Webb appeared poised to pad its lead nicely in the eighth, loading the bases with no outs – after Daniel Cooke (single), Jamall Kinard (walk) and Tyler Johnson (walk) reached.

A shallow fly ball left the bases juiced, and Cooke had to dash home on another shallow fly ball to make the score 7-5 with two outs. GWU left the other two runners on base, which left the door open for a Belmont rally in the bottom half.

A single by Wiley was followed by a wind blown double and two singles to cut the lead to 7-6 – and the Bruins loaded the bases themselves with no outs. A sacrifice fly to right tied the game, and left runners at the corners, but Cogdill came on to get GWU out of the jam still tied.

After GWU stranded two more runners in the ninth, Cogdill got the first two outs in the bottom of the frame, but Wiley belted a ground rule double to left to leave the winning run just two bases from home plate. Tyler Johnson made his second spectacular defensive play of the afternoon, however, stabbing a line drive at shortstop to send the game into extra innings.

Gardner-Webb rapped out 16 hits and set a new A-Sun Tournament record by stealing seven bases. Daniel Cooke (3-for-5, run, RBI, 2 SB) paced the offense, with Loyd (2-for-6, RBI), Drewery (2-for-3, 2B, RBI), Fulginiti (2-for-3), Kinard (2-for-3, run, 2 SB) and Tyler Johnson (2-for-3, run, SB) also collecting multiple hits.

Leadoff man Brock Miller finished 0-for-4 at the plate, but drew two walks and swiped his 28th and 29th bases of the season.

Cogdill (5-1) picked up his fifth relief win of the season working 2.1 scoreless innings and fanning a pair (two hits allowed). Ban allowed just three runs in 4.1 innings of a no decision.

Jimmy Stanley (1-2) took the loss, allowing just one earned run in 2.0 innings of work (four hits). Belmont had 11 hits, with Wiley going 3-for-4 with his grand slam.

GWU will face the winner of #2 Mercer and #5 Stetson on Thursday night at 7 pm ET in the winners bracket.

NOTES: Gardner-Webb is now 23-1 in 2008 when scoring nine runs or more, including 4-0 in such games vs. Belmont ... Miller needs just one steal to tie the GWU single-season record, currently held by Frank Cauthen (30, 1974) ... The trio of Miller, Cooke and Kinard now have 162 career steals) ... Cooke is now batting .419 in 10 career games against Belmont.