Elon, N.C.- In a midweek matchup, Elon baseball (23-13) fell to the Gardner-Webb Runnin' Bulldogs (24-12) 12-2 in eight innings.
 
Justin Cassella and Connor Coolahan tallied extra-base hits in the loss to the Runnin' Bulldogs with Cassella launching a home run to left center in the fifth inning.
 
The Phoenix used a flurry of pitchers with Ben Sieracki getting the start and the loss. Sieracki struck out four in two innings of work along with Joe Savino tossing an inning and a third of scoreless relief.
 
Elon leads the Division 1 series with Gardner-Webb 2-1 following Wednesday night's game.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• Gardner-Webb would be retired three-up, three-down in the top of the first inning as Ben Sieracki continued his solid performances from the previous two games.
• The Runnin' Bulldogs would put three runners on with two outs in the top of the second but could not bring a run across as Sieracki struck out Capozzi to strand the bases loaded.
• With a walk in the bottom of the second, Cole Reynolds would extend his on-base streak to 29 straight games, but he could not be brought home.
• GWU would score the first runs of the ball game following an Anderson double that would bring home one run. Another run would come around on a sacrifice fly to give the Runnin' Bulldogs a 2-0 lead.
• The Phoenix would counter with a sacrifice fly of their own from Charlie Granatell to halve the GWU lead.
• Gardner-Webb would score five consecutive runs in over the fourth and fifth innings to take a 7-1 lead. GWU would collect five hits over these two frames and push the lead to six.
• Justin Cassella would shorten the gap by homering to left center field to give the Phoenix their second run, but Elon would strand another two runners and finish the inning with the lone run.
• The Runnin' Bulldogs would answer their four-run fifth inning with four more runs in the sixth. Gardner-Webb would collect six hits in the inning off of a combination of Sean O'Connell and Joe Savino.
• GWU would plate one more run in the top of the eighth giving them a 10-run advantage before the game would be called after eight innings.

• With the loss to Gardner-Webb, Elon suffers its first loss in the Division I era to the Runnin' Bulldogs and now has an overall record of 39-20 over GWU.
• Cole Reynolds extended his on base streak to 29 consecutive games on base. This is the fourth highest total for a Phoenix batter in the last ten seasons.  
• Luke Stephenson extended his hitting streak to 12 straight games, placing himself in a tie for the top spot on the Phoenix for the longest streak this season with Ryan Sprock.
• Connor Coolahan's pinch-hit double was the third extra base hit of the year for Coolahan.
• Ben Sieracki's four strikeouts tie a career high for the Rocky Mount native. It is the most strikeouts in a game since his outing against Akron when he set the career high.

• The Phoenix will continue their home stand at Latham Park with a weekend series with the Stony Brook Seawolves. First pitch time for game one on Friday is 6 p.m.