FERRUM, Va. - Bridgewater baseball split the doubleheader against Ferrum on the road, falling short in the first game, 2-1, then firing back in the second game to take a 17-8 win Saturday. 

The Eagles fell 2-1 in game one and won 17-8 in game two of the doubleheader in ODAC play. 

The Basics 

Score: 

Game 1: Ferrum (FC) 2, Bridgewater (BCE) 1 

Game 2: Bridgewater (BCE) 17, Ferrum (FC) 8 

Records: BCE (8-7-1 OVR, 1-2-1 ODAC), FC (11-7 OVR, 3-3 ODAC) 

How It Happened 

Game 1: 

• Both teams faced a tough offensive outing past the second inning after the arms on the mound settled in. Despite multiple innings with bases loaded, the Eagles were stopped by the relief pitching and closed-out frames on Ferrum's side. 

• In the first inning, the Panthers struck first and left the only runs on the board for the rest of the game. With back-to-back doubles and an error in outfield, the Panthers used the advantage effectively getting a run across home plate. Then, a single driven out to left allowed the Ferrum to touch home.  

• The Eagles built up effective at-bats to get back into the game in the second inning as Zack Chadwell opened up the frame with a walk. Isaac Sumpter was then awarded first on a wild pitch in a two-out situation. Spencer Sigmon reached on a fielder's choice and Sumpter reached second on an error from the infield. Nick Stavros made the Panthers pay for the error helping to walk in Chadwell with bases loaded. The score stayed a 2-1 FC. 

• Cam Nuckols came back in the second in a quick three up, three down inning on two strikeouts. Relief pitching came in for FC and closed out the third with no trouble while Nuckols responded with another three-straight outs tacking on two more strikeouts. The Eagles threatened in the fourth as Christian Harris started off the action with an infield hit and Sumpter followed with walk. Stavros also drew a walk to get the bases loaded. The Panthers elected to change pitchers and got out of a jam resulting in a caught third out. 

• The Eagles could not break through the strong pitching display by the Panthers' bullpen and dropped the first game, 2-1. 

Game 2: 

• Action changed in the second game of the doubleheader as the Eagles caught fire late in the sixth inning totaling six runs. The added insurance runs boosted the lead and kept the Panthers from threatening. Although a lead change early in the game giving FC the momentum, BCE stopped it in its tracks and regained the lead on a scoring surge of its own. The pitchers held strong despite the four fielding errors, and the runs came through. 

• Ashton Smith got the offense going in the opening frame with a hot shot to right field to score in Nick Stavros and Trent Holland. Chandler Valbak worked his way home in a tag-up to take a 3-0 lead after one. FC responded with a short burst of offense with a run off a passed ball at home and then a reach on fielder's choice. Two innings later, FC continued its scoring burst tying the score with an RBI double. 

• In the fourth inning, the Panthers kept the offense going with a two-run single. The Eagles then rejuvenated the offense as Lucas Bauer remained active on the bases tapping home plate. Stavros helped reclaim the lead, slipping a single past the right-field side driving in TJ Johnson and Isaac Sumpter. Stavros ignited the offense once more in the sixth inning with a laced double to right center to score in Sumpter. Holland then answered with a ripped single through the right side to get Johnson home. Then, next at-bat, Valbak found his sweet spot pounding a three-run homer over the left-field wall, breaking the score open at 11-5. Suters added an RBI double to score Chadwell and Sumpter put a ball in play to help Bauer reach home. 

• Later, FC put up two more runs to attempt a comeback, but Matthew Bishop got Gary Tompkins out of a jam with a strikeout. BCE did not hesitate stepping up to the plate in the eighth as Smith belted a solo homer to make it 14-7. The Panthers again attempted to work back into the deficit knocking in another run in the bottom of the eighth. The Eagles sealed it while adding three runs in the ninth with bases loaded working a walk to score in Holland and a two-run single by Sumpter to close out the second game of the doubleheader at 17-8. 

Game Notes 

Game 1: 

• Cam Nuckols posted his first 10-strikeout outing this season and posted a stat line of six innings pitched, one earned run, and six hits. 

• Zack Chadwell stayed disciplined at the plate drawing two walks while also getting the lone run for the Eagles. 

Game 2: 

• Four Bridgewater players logged three RBIs as Nick Stavros, Chandler Valbak, Ashton Smith, and Isaac Sumpter combined for 10 hits, eight scored runs, and three walks. 

• Hunter Covill earned the win making his record 3-0 on the season while posting a stat line of two innings pitched and two strikeouts on six batters faced. 

Up Next 

The Eagles are back in action on Tuesday, March 18 on the road against Mary Baldwin.