BRIDGEWATER, Va. – The Bridgewater Baseball team split a doubleheader with No. 12 Lynchburg winning the first game 7-6 and falling in the second game 12-4.
THE BASICS
Final Score: (Game one) Bridgewater 7, Lynchburg 6; (Game two) Lynchburg 12, Bridgewater 4
Records: Bridgewater 11-5 (1-1 ODAC), Lynchburg 8-5 (1-1 ODAC)
HOW IT HAPPENED
Game One
- The Hornets struck first in the top of the first with the lead-off batter reaching first on single to second base. With a runner of first, Benton Jones stepped up to the plate and popped a ball over the right field wall to make it a 2-0 ball game. James Swart got out of the inning with a ground out to Nick Stavros.
- Lynchburg tacked on another run in the top of the second with runners on first and third as Sean Pokorak flied out deep enough to right field to plate a runner and increase the lead to 3-0.
- Isaac Sumpter led off the offensive attack for the Eagles in the bottom of the second when he dropped in a single to left field. Brandan Hartman reached first safely on a hit by pitch to advance Sumpter to second. Nick Stavros got BC on the board singling through the right side to decrease the deficit by two. A sacrifice situation which turned into a single for Kyle Carlson loaded the bases for Bridgewater. A ground out from Tristan Gordon gave Hartman the chance to reach home safely. Stavros, on third, capitalized on a passed ball from the Hornets to tie the game at 3-3.
- Lynchburg got a run back in the top of the third when Quinn Madden singled to center field to bring the runner home from second base.
- Both pitchers began to settle in throughout the middle innings until the bottom seventh of the when Lucas Bauer used his speed to reach home safely on a throwing error to knot the score up again. Sumpter did his job, with runners in scoring position, issuing a fly ball to right field giving Jeffrey Snider the chance to tag up from third base to give the Eagles their first lead of the game 5-4. TJ Johnson scored on the ensuing play when Hartman grounded out to first base to increase the score 6-4.
- The Hornets fueled a rally in the top of the eighth when a single up the middle scored the runner from second. Lynchburg tied the game again when a successful pinch hitter doubled to left making it a 6-6 ball game.
- Spencer Lloyd and Brett Midkiff were effective in relief successfully getting BC to extra inning with the Hornets. Hartman took his third hit by pitch of the game to start the bottom of the 10th inning. Head coach Ben Spotts opted to put Luke Tomajczyk in to run for Hartman at first base. Stavros popped a single up the middle to put a runner in scoring position. Jonathan Sexton came in to pinch hit for Camden Herron and used patience to draw a walk and load the bases. Gordon came up clutch hitting a ball deep to right field to allow Tomajczyk to use his speed and tag up from third to give Bridgewater the walk-off win 7-6.
GAME STATS
- Stavros was the lone Eagle with multiple hits in the game recording a 3-for-5 hit day with one run and one RBI.
- Hartman registered three hit by pitches in the game.
- Snider picked up two walks in his 1-for-3 performance.
- Nick Griffin came in to close the game registering the win giving up nothing while recording one strike out. Joe Christopher was effective in relief going 4.0 innings giving up two hits, one run and recording five strike outs.
- Logan Tapman was awarded the loss after going 3.2 innings in relief.
Game Two
- Lynchburg began game two the same way it did in the first game getting on the board in the top of the first inning. Eric Hiett stepped up to the dish with the bases loaded and issued a fly out to right field that plated the runner from third to make it 1-0. Reid Long was effective in getting the next two outs on a strike out and a fielder's choice.
- Errors proved costly for BC in the top of the third inning as Jones came home on a fielding mishap. The Hornets again capitalized on another error to increase their lead to 3-0.
- Bridgewater strung a couple of runs together in the bottom of the fourth with Sumpter singling to the shortstop to bring Hartman home from third. A fielder's choice from Johnson helped to bring home Snider and cut the lead to one, 3-2.
- Lynchburg added more insurance in the top of the fifth inning as Bryce Demory drove in two runs off a double down the left field line.
- In the top of the sixth, the Hornets capitalized on errors from the Eagles' defense to plate two more runners in the inning and increase the advantage to 7-2.
- BC battled back in the bottom of the sixth when Christian Harris approached the plate with the bases loaded driving a single up the middle to score two runs and put Bridgewater trailing by three, 7-4.
- The Hornets put together five more runs throughout the last three innings of the game to secure the win 12-4.
GAME STATS
- The Eagles registered six hits with Christian Harris having two RBIs to lead the offense.
- Stavros used his vision to pick up two walks in the game.
- Long was strapped with the loss after going 4.1 innings in the start. Nick Harris took the mound in relief registering five strike outs.
- Lynchburg recorded two home runs with O'Kelly McWilliams and Madden each having one.
- Nathaniel Mack was awarded the win after going 2.2 innings and allowing nothing.
UP NEXT
Bridgewater will travel to Fredericksburg, Va. to square off with Mary Washington in a non-conference game on March 12.
