BRIDGEWATER, Va. - Before the Bridgewater College softball team took the field for its matchup against Methodist University, former head coach Donnie Fulk was surprised with the renaming of the softball field in his honor.

Fulk retired last year after 23 years as head coach for the softball team and compiled over 600 wins in his career. Fulk also spearheaded the completion of several rennovations to the softball complex and was the director of the Bridgewater College Eagle Club.

As the first game was underway on the newly inaugurated Fulk Field, the Eagles managed to get the only run of the first inning as Amanda Lutz singled to center field to bring in Jen Balcom. Balcom would knock in the next run in the second inning, grounding out to shortstop to allow Rayann Foltz to reach home and push Bridgewater to a 2-0 lead.

Bridgewater continued to extend their lead in the bottom of the fifth with Lutz collecting a triple, bringing home Balcom and Foltz once again.

However, the Monarchs ended up notching two runs in the top of the six to cut the deficit to 4-2 before tieing it up 4-4 in the top of the seventh. With the Eagles unable to find another run, the game headed into extra innings.

After an uneventful eighth inning, the Monarchs broke away to a 7-4 lead in the top of the ninth and although Foltz reached home for the Eagles in the bottom of the inning, Methodist clinched the 7-5 win.

Foltz was 2-for-4 at the plate with three runs while Balcom was 2-for-5 with two runs. Lutz had three RBIs with Hannah Nyquist and Balcom adding one RBI apiece.

Brianna Cox pitched six innings in the circle, allowing two runs on four hits with one strikeout before handing the reigns over to Amber Wood, who allowed five runs on six hits.

Kelsey Harrington was 3-for-5 for the Monarchs while Lindsay Tippett was 2-for-4 with two RBIs. Christine Bowman took the win in the circle, allowing four runs on six hits while striking out four batters.

In the second game, Methodist was quick to score five runs in the top of the first inning, which included a home run by Tippett. The Monarchs pushed their lead to 8-0 by the top of the third while the Eagles still found themselves with no runs until Brooke Throckmorton notched Bridgewater's only run of the game with a homer.

It wouldn't be enough as Methodist pulled out two more runs that sealed the 10-1 victory to end the game in five innings.

Nyquist, Lutz and Throckmorton were 1-for-2 at bat with Throckmorton collecting the lone RBI. 

Hannah Trala pitched three innings in the circle, allowing three runs on six hits while Lutz took the loss for the Eagles as she allowed five runs on four hits and walked two batters.

Sarah Stapleton was 3-for-4 with one RBI for the Monarchs. Tippett went 2-for-4 and notched three RBIs. Emily Hester took the win in the circle as she allowed one run on five hits while striking out two batters and walking one.

The Eagles are back on Tuesday when they travel to conference rival Eastern Mennonite University. First pitch is set to be thrown at 3 p.m.