PURCHASE GAME DVD

SALEM, Va. – The sixth-seeded Shenandoah Hornets scored runs in the first and fourth innings, while the Bridgewater bats were slow to come alive as the Eagles softball team saw its season come to a close with a 3-1 loss to the Hornets in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) tournament.

Shenandoah wasted little time getting on the scoreboard in the first. Brittany Guepe opened the inning with a single before moving to second on a sacrifice bunt. Morgan Coble followed with a single to right field to put runners on the corners with one out. During the at-bat of Kimberly Brady, Coble broke for second base and the throw missed the mark, while Guepe stole home plate on the double-steal to put the Hornets up 1-0 after an inning play.

Hornets starting pitcher Stephanie Cameron was unhittable over the opening three innings as she fanned nine Bridgewater batters and allowed just two base runners during the first three frames to hold the Shenandoah lead at a 1-0 tally as the game shifted to the fourth.

In the top of the fourth, the Hornets put two more runs on the board to extend their lead to 3-0. Heather Sink drew a lead-off walk before a Lauren McCabe single to center put runners at first and second with no outs. Sink and McCabe moved to second and third on a fly out before a hard liner to left scored Sink from third to push the Hornets out to a 2-0 lead. Madison Bradley followed with a single to center field to build out a 3-0 Shenandoah advantage.

Bridgewater looked to answer in the bottom of the inning, but stranded a pair of runners at the inning's end as the game remained at a 3-0 Shenandoah lead.

In the fifth, the Hornets loaded the bases with no outs before relief pitcher Brianna Cox got some help to work her way out of a bases-loaded jam. Erika Kondzielawa hit a floating fly ball to right field, where Heather Jenkins made a diving play for the first out. Jenkins' throw home missed the mark, but catcher Leigh Lam gunned the ball to third where Melanie Lamb caught the runner from second base in a rundown. During the play, the runner at third base, Brady, failed to tag up and Lamb touched the bag at third to record the unconventional triple play to end the fifth for the Hornets.

Bridgewater got on the board in the bottom of the sixth with a single run, but threatened to do more. Junior Kasey Anderson led off the inning with a bunt single and scored four batters later on an Aven Thomas single to right center to cut the Hornets lead to 3-1. Junior Brea Hinegardner hit an infield single to load the bases, but the Hornets worked out of the jam to hold the lead at a 3-1 tally heading to the final inning of play.

The Eagles again threatened in the seventh with a pair of two-out singles, but couldn't push a run across as their season came to an end with a 3-1 loss to Shenandoah.

Anderson led the Bridgewater offense with a 2-for-4 game and one run scored.

Thomas picked up the loss in the circle after allowing three runs on six hits over 3 and 2/3 innings of work. Cox tossed 2 and 1/3 innings of shutout ball, while Jenkins needed just two pitches to put away the Hornets' side in the seventh.

Guepe and McCabe paced the Hornets' bats with a pair of 3-for-4 games.

Megan Tripp secured the victory after allowing one run on four hits over the middle three innings of the game. Cameron opened the contest with three innings of no-hit ball, while Jordan Wolford secured the save after allowing no runs on two hits in the seventh inning.

Bridgewater wraps up the season with a 24-18 overall record.