DANVILLE, Va. - The Bridgewater College softball team dropped two non-conference games to Averett on Thursday in Danville. This was the final tune up for the Eagles before ODAC play begins. 

Game One

The Basics

• Final Score: Bridgewater 1, Averett 2
• Records: Bridgewater (10-9), Averett (6-5)

How It Happened

• After a three up three down first inning for both teams, the Cougars walked Annaliese Franklin to start the second frame before a Kaitlyn Tirona double to left field moved Franklin to third. A Kathryn Thomas single loaded the bases for Brooklynn Fridley who hit a sacrifice fly to left field to give Franklin the path home. Bridgewater ended the inning with a 1-0 edge and Tirona and Thomas stranded on base
• Hannah Mahan converted a key double play in the bottom of the second to keep the Cougars scoreless and allow Samantha Martin to only face three batters yet again in the inning
• Neither team could produce any runs in the third or fourth frames. Averett added their first run to the board on a sacrifice fly to right field. The run went down as unearned due to an Eagle error that allowed the runner to reach base prior to the sacrifice opportunity
• Averett walked Sarah Wimer to start the sixth frame and advanced to second on a Franklin sacrifice bunt. With the two outs on the board, Bridgewater was unable to move Wimer. The Cougars hit a double to start the bottom half of the inning and sent the runner home another sacrifice bunt to take a 2-1 lead. Bridgewater was unable to produce a run in the top of the seventh, ultimately falling 2-1

Match Notes

• Tirona, Thomas and Avery Pinder all recorded a hit for Bridgewater while Fridley added a RBI. Pinder also stole a base for the Eagles, her seventh of the season
• Martin pitched a complete game, facing 22 batters and allowing three hits

Game Two

The Basics

• Final Score: Bridgewater 0, Averett 4
• Records: Bridgewater (10-10), Averett (7-5)

How It Happened

• The first three innings of game two moved quickly with the only hit coming by way of a Cougar single in the bottom of the third. Shifflett posted the Eagles first hit on a single in the top of fourth
• Averett exploded for four runs in the bottom of the fourth, three of which were unearned. The Cougars came close to adding one more run in the bottom of sixth if not for a critical out by Wimer at home plate. The senior also started the comeback attempt in the top of the seventh for BC with a single to right field but could not find her way home as the Eagles fell 4-0

Match Notes

• Shifflett, Wimer and Pinder contributed hits for the Eagles while Mahan added a sacrifice
• Emma Killion pitched a complete game, allowing eight hits and one earned run

Up Next

• Bridgewater will open conference play on Saturday, March 26, when they welcome Randolph to Fulk Field for a doubleheader. Action is set for 1:00 p.m.