PURCHASE GAME DVD

SALEM, Va. – In its opening round game of the 2013 Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) softball tournament, the fifth-seeded Bridgewater Eagles fell behind early and couldn't overcome the deficit in a 4-3 loss to fourth-seeded Randolph-Macon.

The Eagles looked to get on the board in the first inning after the first two batters reached base safely but the Yellow Jackets were able to work their way out of the inning and keep Bridgewater off of the scoreboard.

In the bottom of the inning, Randolph-Macon answered in a big way with three runs to take an early 3-0 lead after the opening frame. Christa Simon belted a one-out double before Shareese Jarvis stung a single to put runners on the corners for the Yellow Jackets with one out. After Jarvis swiped second base, Simon scored from third on a passed ball and Jarvis moved to third as Randolph-Macon built a 1-0 lead. Madison Gilman was hit by pitch to put runners on the corners, before a Katie Woody single pushed home Jarvis and Gilman to put the Yellow Jackets up 3-0 after an inning of play.

Bridgewater responded in a hurry in the top of the second with three runs to knot the game up, 3-3, after one-and-a-half. Junior Brea Hinegardner drilled a single to open the inning before being pushed to second on a fielder's choice from Jenkins to put runners at first and second after an error allowed Hinegardner to reach second base safely. Freshman Elizabeth Keech replaced Hinegardner on the bases before a Sarah Goodman double to left pushed in Keech and Jenkins to trim the Randolph-Macon lead to 3-2. Goodman scored two batters later on an error on the right fielder as the Eagles tied the game up at a 3-3 tally.

In the bottom of the second, the Yellow Jackets added a run on the board off of a pair of singles to take a 4-3 lead after two innings of play.

The Eagles looked to answer in the third when Aven Thomas reached base on a one-out double, but the senior was stranded on the base paths to hold the Randolph-Macon advantage to a single run at a 4-3 tally.

Bridgewater again put runners in scoring position in the fourth when Heather Jenkins led off the inning with a single and was pushed to second on a sacrifice bunt from Goodman. Anderson's single to shortstop put runners on the corners before the speedster swiped second to put runners at second and third with one out. Randolph-Macon pitcher Heather Lewis worked her way out of a tough spot and held the Eagles scoreless to hold the lead at a 4-3 Yellow Jackets' advantage.

Both teams had limited opportunities in the fifth and sixth before Bridgewater looked to tally the equalizer in the top of the seventh. Freshman Karie Burgess reached on an error to open the inning and was pushed to second on a sacrifice bunt from Haley Lloyd to put the tying run on second base. Senior Melanie Lamb belted a single to put runners on the corners, but back-to-back strikeouts ended the game as the Eagles fell in the opener by a 4-3 tally.

Six different Bridgewater batters tallied a hit in the loss with Goodman's RBI double leading the way for the Eagles' offense.

Jenkins picked up the loss in the circle after allowing four runs on seven Randolph-Macon hits.

Simon, Jarvis and Lewis each posted two-hit games for the Yellow Jackets in the win, while Woody led the way with two RBI.

Lewis secured the win after allowing three Bridgewater runs on six hits.

Bridgewater will play again at 4 p.m. in an elimination game against cross-county rival Eastern Mennonite at the Moyer Complex.