BRIDGEWATER, Va. – Bridgewater used four
homeruns in game number one to erase a 2-0 deficit en route to a
10-4 victory over the visiting Shenandoah Hornets. In game two, the
Eagles used timely hitting and effective pitching to earn an 8-1
win and preserve a doubleheader sweep over the Hornets.
Shenandoah jumped out to an early lead in the second inning when
a single and a fielder's choice plated two runs to put the Hornets
ahead 2-0.
Bridgewater responded an inning later when an Emily Morris homer
to left field scored Leah Cossentino to knot the game at two
apiece.
The Eagles took the lead in the fourth off of another long ball,
this time from the bat of sophomore Hillary Rees. Rees stung a 2-0
pitch over the centerfield fence, scoring Aven Thomas in the
process and giving Bridgewater a 4-2 advantage.
Shenandoah chipped away at the Bridgewater lead with a run in
the top of the fifth and the sixth innings to tie the game at four,
with the Eagles coming to the plate in the bottom of the sixth.
Bridgewater batted around in the sixth after a Melanie Lamb
leadoff blast to left field opened the scoring and put BC back
ahead at a 5-4 tally.
Junior Kristen Combs walked in the ensuing at-bat before Amber
Martsin put Combs in scoring position with a pinch-hit single to
left center.
Thomas put the Eagles back ahead when she put a 3-2 pitch over
the right center field fence to put Bridgewater ahead 8-4.
Following the Thomas homer, Shenandoah replaced its starting
pitcher, but it would no effect on the Bridgewater bat as the
Eagles used three straight base hits to tally another run before a
single from the bat of Angela Spinelli scored Cossentino to put BC
out in front by a 10-4 tally.
Shenandoah put one runner on base in the top of the seventh
before relief pitcher Lindsay Lam slammed the door closed to
preserve a 10-4 win in game one.
Five Eagles tallied two hits in game one, lead by Thomas'
2-for-3 outing. The Turner Ashby grad drove in three runs off of
her sixth inning blast and scored twice.
In the circle, Lam (5-3) picked up the win. Lam entered in
relief in the sixth inning for freshman starter Heather Jenkins.
Jenkins allowed four runs on seven hits in 5.2 innings of work,
while Lam allowed just one hit in recording the final four outs of
the game.
Shenandoah had eight players with a hit apiece in game number
one, with four players tallying a RBI.
Starting pitcher Brooke Over got the loss for the Hornets. Over
tossed five innings of action, allowing eight runs on nine
hits.
Both teams started slow in game two, before the Hornets put a
run on the board in the top of the third to take an early lead.
Bridgewater responded with a four-run explosion in the bottom of
the frame to take a 4-1 lead after three innings.
Following a Sarah Heretick leadoff walk and a Shenandoah miscue,
a single from the bat of Rees loaded the bases for the Eagles with
one out.
Cossentino drew the walk in the subsequent at-bat to bring in
Heretick from third, tying the game at 1-1.
Morris would drive in the go-ahead run during the next
at-bat when a sacrifice fly to left field scored Rutledge, giving
BC a 2-1 lead.
Bridgewater would round out its scoring in the four-run third
when a Lauren Childress double to left center plated Cossentino and
Rees to put the Eagles up 4-1.
Senior hurler Ashley Gills continued to baffle the Hornets over
the next three innings, while the Eagles plated four more runs to
prevail by an 8-1 score.
Childress' 2-for-4 outing led the Eagles at the plate. With her
4-for-8 afternoon at the plate, the junior extends her on-base
streak to 21 consecutive games.
In the circle, Gills (9-3) picked up the win. Gills allowed one
unearned run on four hits while punching out 10 Shenandoah
batters.
Shenandoah was led by Jolisa Jones' 2-for-3 game.
Amanda Litwin picked up the loss for the Hornets. Litwin allowed
all eight runs on seven BC hits.
The Eagles have now won five in a row.
Bridgewater is back in action on Thursday when Sweet Briar comes
to town. The opening pitch on Thursday is slated for 3:30 p.m.
