BRIDGEWATER, Va. - Shenandoah University, ranked No. 2 in the latest D3baseball.com national poll, rallied for three runs in the bottom of the ninth inning Thursday to defeat Bridgewater, 13-12.

The Eagles pounded out 17 hits, but were unable to hold on to the late-inning lead.

Trailing 1-0 after the first, the Eagles exploded for nine runs in the second. Jonathan Mason led off the inning to tie the score and a run-scoring single by Andrew Hacker gave the Eagles the lead. Alex Hogge drove home two runs with a triple and a single by Zach Hynes plated another run, making the score 5-1. Brett Howell drove home a run with a sacrifice fly and Jake Wade capped the inning with a three-run homer, making the score 9-1.

After a pair of Hornets runs in third made it 9-3, the Eagles answered with two more in the top of the fourth when Kirk singled and Mason followed with a two-run homer for an 11-3 lead.

The teams again traded runs with the Hornets scoring one in the bottom of the fourth before the Eagles tacked on one in the top of the fifth on a solo homer by Hogge to lead 12-4.

The Eagles went scoreless the rest of the way and the Hornets chipped away at the Eagles lead.

Shenandoah scored four in the bottom of the fifth to pull within 12-8 and two in the eighth made it a 12-10 game.

In the ninth, Kevin Brashears doubled home two runs to tie the score at 12-12. After a pair of walks loaded the sacks with one out, Cory Nelson singled to drive home the winning run.

Kirk and Thompson each finished 3-for-5 on the day and Mason belted two homers for the second straight game and finished with three RBIs. Wade and Hogge also drove in three runs apiece for the Eagles.

Bridgewater is now 10-10 on the season while the Hornets improve to 15-0.