BRIDGEWATER, Va. - Bridgewater College improved to 3-1 on the season with a tough 4-3 victory Wednesday afternoon over visiting Mary Baldwin in non-conference play.

The Eagles scored two runs in the bottom of the first inning and added one more in the second to grab the early lead. Jarret Biesecker legged out an infield single to lead of the bottom of the first and Jacob Grabeel followed with a double down the left-field line to put runners at second and third with no outs. Jeffrey Snider then singled up the middle, scoring Biesecker and Grabeel for a 2-0 Eagles lead.

Mason Mitchell led off the Eagles' second with a line single to left and Biesecker followed with another infield hit. Mitcheel moved to third on a throwing error on Biesecker's grounder. Mitchell scored on Grabeel's ground ball to second, making the score 3-0.

The Squirrels got on the board with a pair of runs in the top of the third. Michael Barber doubled to lead off the inning and took third on a sacrifice bunt. Michael Robertson plated Barber with a single to right-center, cutting the Eagles' lead to 3-1. Robertson stole second and scored on Jakob King's single, pulling the Squirrels to within a single run, 3-2. The Mary Baldwin runs were the first earned runs allowed by the Eagles' pitching staff in 23 innings.

Bridgewater loaded the bases in the sixth and added a key run. With one out, Kyle Carlson walked and Mitchelll was hit by a pitch. A walk to Biesecker loaded the bases. Carlson scored on a groundout to third by Grabeel, putting the Eagles up 4-2.

The Squirrels threatened in the top of the ninth. Eagles' pitcher William Flanagan struck out Lucas Chinault on a slider to open the ninth, but the third strike skipped away from catcher Brandan Hartman, allowing Chinault to reach first safely. Pinch-hitter Chase Davis hit a grounder to second, but Mitchell's throw to second to force the lead runner was wide of the bag and the Squirrels had runners at second and third with no outs. Flanagan struck out Barber for the first out of the inning, but Ty Webster blooped a single just inside the foul line in right, scoring Chinault to pull Mary Baldwin to within 4-3.

The Eagles then went to the bullpen for lefty Tucker Hrasky. Robertson grounded into a force play at second for the second out of the inning, leaving the Squirrels with runners at the corners and two outs. Hrasky then fanned King to preserve the 4-3 win and pick up his second save of the season.

Biesecker was the lone Bridgewater player with multiple hits as he finished 2-for-3. Grabeel and Snider each drove in a pair of runs.

The Eagles used eight pitchers in the contest with starter Reid Long working two scoreless frames in his collegaite debut to pick up the win. Elijah Dunlap aso mde his Eagles' debut and worked a scoreless fourth inning. Keegan Oliver, James Swart and Nick Griffin each worked a scoreleass inning for the Eagles. Flanagan worked 1.1 innings and allosed just one hit and the one unearned run while striking out four batters.

Bridgewater returns to conference action Saturday when the Eagles travel to Virginia Wesleyan for a doubleheader.