LYNCHBURG, Va. - Bridgewater College defeated Lynchburg 8-5 Saturday in the second game of a doubleheader to stay alive and force a third and deciding game in the best-of-3 ODAC semifinal series.

After Lynchburg rolled to a 14-0 victory in the opener Saturday, the Eagles bounced back to even the series.

In Game 1, Lynchburg starter Zack Potts pitched a complete-game, three-hit shutout to lead the Hornets, Lynchburg took the lead with two runs in the bottom of the first. Two more in the fourth inning gave the home team a 4-0 lead and a five-run fifth inning broke the game open.

The Hornets jumped out to an early lead once again in the second game with one run in the first and two in the third to lead 3-0.

Bridgewater's offense came alive in the bottom of the third with a five-run outburst to take the lead. With two out and no one on base, Brett Tharp got things started with a single. Jeffrey Snider and Kevin Navedo both walked to load the bases for Brandan Hartman. The Eagles' freshman cleared the sacks with a three-run double to deep left-center, tying the score at 3-3. Kyle Carlson hit a slow roller back to the mound and was safe at first on a throwing error that allowed Hartman to score, giving Bridgewater a 4-3 lead. Jacob Grabeel then lined a triple to the right-center gap, scoring Carlson to make it 5-3.

Bridgewater added a run in the fourth when Jarret Biesecker doubled and scored on a single by Tharp, pushing the Eagles' advantage to 6-3.

Navedo drove in a run with a single in the sixth to extend the margin to 7-3 and an unearned run in the seventh put the Eagles ahead 8-3.

Lynchburg threatened in the top of the ninth when Avery Neaves singled to right, scoring two runs to pull the Hornets to within 8-5. With two outs and the potential tying run coming to the plate, head coach Ben Spotts went to the bullpen for sophomore William Flanagan. The Eagles righthander struck out PJ Alvanos to preserve the 8-5 win and force Game 3.

Starting pitcher Hunter Mohr gave the Eagles a quality start, going six-plus innings and allowing three runs, all unearned, on three hits. Hunter Clever gave up two runs in 2.2 innings before Flanagan came on to record the final out. 

The first five batters in the lineup - Biesecker, Tharp, Snider, Navedo and Hartman - each had two base hits. 

Lynchburg will host Game 3 Sunday afternoon at 2:00 p.m.