BRIDGEWATER, Va. - The Bridgewater College baseball team opened conference play Saturday afternoon by splitting a doubleheader with Lynchburg College. The Hornets came out on top in a pitcher's duel in the opener 1-0 while the Eagles took the second game 7-3.

In the opener Lynchburg's David Goulding pitched a complete game shutout to outduel Eagles' starter Ryan Leake who also went the distance on the mound. Leake allowed just three hits and one unearned run.

After Leake retired the first nine batters to start the game, Lynchburg scored the only run of the contest in the top of the fourth inning.

Thomas Powell led off the inning with a single and took second on a sacrifice bunt by Drew Taylor. Taylor was safe on the play when Leake's throw to first pulled second baseman Austin Batten off the bag. Joe Tomasulo then blooped a single to shallow left, just beyond the reach of Eagles' shortstop Brandon Poole to load the bases. Powell scored when Jonathan Munn grounded into a 4-6-3 double play.

Bridgewater (7-4, 1-1 in the ODAC) had its best chance against Goulding in the bottom of the seventh. Kenner Berry led off the inning with a double down the left-field line and moved to third on a sacrifice bunt by Brendan Howell. Justin Petock then walked to put runners at the corners. Eagles head coach Curt Kendall put on the safety squeeze bunt with Austin Batten at the plate and Batten bunted down the third-base line. Berry retreated to the third base bag and Batten was safe at first to load the bases, still with just one out. Garrison Wright followed with a slow roller back to the mound and Goulding flipped to catcher Matthew Cotton for the force play at the plate to record the second out of the inning. Goulding then kept the Eagles off the scoreboard when he retired pinch-hitter Chris King on a fly ball.

Berry, who had three of Bridgewater's five hits, led off the bottom of the ninth with a single, but Goulding induced Howell into a 4-6-3 double play and then retired Leake on a fly ball to finish his complete-game shutout.

The Hornets took advantage of an infield error to get on the scoreboard in the first inning of Game 2. Powell reached on an error to start the inning and moved to second on Taylor's sacrifice bunt. Tomasulo then singled through the right side, scoring Powell for a 1-0 Hornets lead.

Bridgewater answered with two runs in the bottom of the first. With one out, Cavin Clyde was hit by a pitch and Leake walked. Berry then singled to right, scoring Clyde with Leake racing to third on the play. Leake scored on a wild pitch, putting the Eagles on top 2-1.

Lynchburg (4-9, 1-1 in the ODAC) tied the score in the third when Powell singled with one out and Taylor followed with a run-scoring double down the left-field line.

The Eagles regained the lead with a run in the bottom of the fifth inning. With two outs in the inning, Leake walked and swiped second. Berry drove Leake home with an opposite-field single to right, giving Bridgewater a 3-2 lead.

The Hornets knotted the score again in their next at-bat in the top of the sixth. Tomasulo led off with a single, but was erased at second on a grounder to second by Luke Rodgers. Brad Hylton then singled to center, giving Lynchburg runners at first and second with one out. Matt Ward chased Rodgers home with a base hit to right, tying the score at 3-3.

The Eagles broke through with three runs in the seventh to take a 6-3 lead. With one out, Clyde singled and stole second. Leake then walked to put runners at first and second with one out. Berry followed with a sharp single to left. Clyde scored on the hit and when the throw from the outfield was wide of third, Leake advanced to third base and Berry moved up to second. Chris King grounded out to third for the second out of the inning and the Hornets then went to the bullpen for lefty Trevor Martin to face the left-hand hitting Howell. Howell blooped a single to center that was just out of the reach of diving centerfielder Taylor. Leake and Berry both scored to give the Eagles a 6-3 lead.

The Hornets threatened in the top of the eighth inning against Eagles relief pitcher Steven Woerner. With one out, Ward singled to center and Nathan Sharp doubled to left, putting runners at second and third. Woerner then retired Ryan Katona on a comebacker to the mound for the second out of the inning. Woerner escaped the jam when leftfielder Parker Mead made a diving catch on a sinking liner hit by Lynchburg's Cotton.

The Eagles added an insurance run in the bottom of the eighth inning when Brandon Poole drove in Austin Batten with a single to rightcenter, making the score 7-3.

Woerner retired the side in order in the ninth to preserve the Eagles' victory.

Petock improved to 2-1 on the season with seven solid innings on the mound in Game 2. He allowed three runs, two earned, on eight hits. Petock struck out three and did not walk a batter. Woerner earned his first save of the season.

Bridgewater recorded 11 hits in the second game with Berry and Clyde contributing three hits each. Berry finished the twinbill 6-for-8 at the plate with three RBIs.

The Eagles now head to Florida for spring break and return to action Monday morning at 10:00 a.m. when they face Thomas More. The game is the first of five games for Bridgewater in the Sunshine State.