BRIDGEWATER, Va. - Bridgewater College scored two runs in the
fifth to break a 7-7 tie and held on for a 12-8 non-conference
victory Tuesday over the Christopher Newport University Captains.
After falling behind 1-0 after the top of the first, the Eagles
jump on the Captains for five runs on six hits in the bottom half
of the opening frame.
With one out, Kevin Kirk singled and scored on a Mitchell
Edwards double to tie the score at 1-1. With two outs, Brett Howell
singled to score Edwards giving the Eagles a 2-1 lead. After a
single by Jonathan Mason, Drew Elkins drove in a run to make it
3-1. With two runners in scoring position, Andrew Hacker laced a
two-run single up the middle to put the Eagles on top 5-1.
The Eagles added another run in the second when Kirk doubled and
scored on a single by Edwards for a 6-1 lead.
CNU got a run back in the top of the third on a RBI-single by
Steven Lindemuth, but the Eagles answered in the bottom of the
inning to make the score 7-2 on a run-scoring single by Drew
Elkins.
The Eagles squandered the lead in the fourth when CNU took
advantage of a key error to score five runs. With one out, Connor
Madden's two-run homer made it 7-3. Shannon Mark walked and Drew
Vernon followed with a single. A baserunning miscue left Vernon in
a rundown between first and second but the Eagles threw the ball
away, allowing Mark to score while Vernon advanced to third. With
two outs, Parker Neal doubled to the gap in left center, scoring
Vernon with the tying run.
Bridgewater regained the lead in the fifth when a CNU error led
to a pair of runs. Elkins drove home one run with a groundout and
Hacker singled to plate a second run, giving the Eagles a 9-7 lead.
The Eagles added some insurance in the seventh when Hacker
belted a two-run homer and Kirk plated a run with a sacrifice fly,
putting the Eagles on top 12-7.
The Captains made it interesting in the ninth. Lindemuth led off
the inning with a homer off relief pitcher Christian Armstrong and
a walk and a single put two runners on with no outs. Hacker then
came out of the bullpen to retire three straight to finish off the
victory.
BC starter Kevin Chandler turned in his third straight solid
start to pick up the victory. Chandler worked eight innings and
allowed seven runs, four earned, on 10 hits. He struck out six and
walked one.
Hacker paced BC's 17-hit attack with a 3-for-4 effort and five
RBIs. Fellow freshman Mason with 3-for-4 with four runs scored and
Kirk was 3-for-4. Edwards was 2-for-4 with two runs batted in while
Elkins was 2-for-4 with three RBIs. Howell also finished with a
2-for-4 day at the plate for BC.
For the Captains, Lenda led the offense with a 3-for-5 effort.
Vernon, Saunders, Neal and Lindemuth each added a pair of hits with
Lindemuth driving in three runs.
With the victory, Bridgewater climbed back to the .500 mark
overall with a 12-12 record. CNU dropped to 13-10 on the season.
The Eagles return to action Wednesday when they try to maintain
their hold on first-place in the ODAC standing when they host
Washington and Lee. First pitch is slated for 4:00 p.m.
