BRIDGEWATER, Va. - The Bridgewater College softball defeated No. 6 Lynchburg 5-4 before falling in game two 4-5. It was also Strike Out Cancer day for the Eagles. Family members of Bridgewater softball players who have been affected by cancer were honored prior to the start of the game. 

Game One: Bridgewater 5, Lynchburg 4

The Hornets came out with bats swinging and piled on three runs in the top of the second. Carol Oberhelman hit a RBI single and Kayla Hugate hit a two RBI double in the next at-bat to put the visitors up 3-0.

Bridgewater answered right away in the bottom of the second. Carolyn Campbell hit a RBI single to send Sarah Wimer home for the Eagles first run. Campbell would run home herself on a Lindsey Talley triple to right field to make the score 3-2.

Mackenzie Chitwood powered a homerun in the top of the third to give Lynchburg a 4-2 lead. 

The Eagles were locked in during the fifth inning. Talley kicked things off with a single and then stole second. The senior advanced to third after Katrina Martin was walked to set up Torie Shifflett's RBI single to send Talley home. Wimer added a RBI of her own as Martin ran home to tie the game.

Campbell only saw three hitters in the top of the sixth as her team looked to take the lead in the bottom of the inning. Stephanie Carroll hit what would be the deciding run on a RBI double to center field to send pinch runner Allison Patrick home for the 5-4 advantage.

The Hornets could not add another run in the top of seventh to secure a big ODAC win for the Eagles.

Campbell and Talley led the Eagles with two hits and two RBIs each. Campbell pitched all seven innings for the win. The senior faced 28 batters and allowed seven hits.

Game Two: Bridgewater 4, Lynchburg 5

The Eagles started game two with several great defensive plays. Lindsey Talley reached and caught a distant fly ball to end the first, and Avery Pinder made a spot-on throw from center field to home plate to stop a Lynchburg run from scoring while ending the top of the second. 

Lynchburg put up the first run of the game in the top of third on a Chitwood RBI double for a 1-0 lead.

The game remained at 1-0 until the bottom of the sixth. The Eagles had a massive four-run inning, starting with a Wimer RBI double to send Kaitlyn Tirona and Morgan Landes across the plate. Wimer scored on a Carlita Tibbs RBI single to put the home team up 3-1. Sydney Layman added the final run of the inning on a RBI double as Keirsten Kennedy scored. 

Bridgewater led 4-1 heading into the seventh. The Hornets responded with a four-run inning of their own capped off with a Taylor Mabry two RBI homerun.

The Eagles had a chance with two outs and two runners on base in the bottom of the seventh, but could not score another run.

Carroll led Bridgewater with three hits in four at-bats. Tirona, Wimer and Tibbs all had two hits for the Eagles. Wimer added two RBIs.

Keirsten Kennedy came up just short of the win, facing 31 batters and allowing ten hits.

Bridgewater, now 16-10, returns to action on Wednesday, April 3 with a doubleheader at crosstown rival Eastern Mennonite. Game time is set for 3:00 p.m.