TYSONS CORNER, Va. - Bridgewater baseball dropped the first game of the double elimination ODAC finals round against No. 2 seeded Randolph-Macon by a score of 5-4 Thursday night. 

The Eagles will face No. 4 seed Shenandoah in the elimination game tomorrow, May 9. 

The Basics 

Score: Randolph-Macon (RMC) 5, Bridgewater (BCE) 4 

ODAC Tournament Bracket: Lynchburg advanced to the winner's bracket defeating Shenandoah (LYN won 12-2) 

Randolph-Macon advanced to the winner's bracket to face Lynchburg at 2:30 p.m. 

How It Happened 

• The Eagles went toe-to-toe with the Randolph-Macon Yellow Jackets all the way until the end of the game. BCE pounded three long balls out of the ballpark to account for the four runs scored. As the eighth inning hit, it became a pitcher's duel with the Eagles holding on to a one-run lead. The Yellow Jackets got the pitch they were looking for and successfully shut down the power-heavy Bridgewater offense. 

• RMC began the action to start out the game in the first inning with an RBI single, making it a 1-0 lead. The Yellow Jackets then upped the score to a two-run advantage in the second with a solo deep ball which led to a one-run single immediately after for the 3-0 edge. 

• In the third inning, the Eagles made noise working their way back from the deficit. Jake Harris drove the ball out over the right field wall for a solo knock. Next inning, Trent Holland confidently belted a solo dinger cutting the deficit to one run. The Eagles then kept the home run trend going as Ashton Smith launched a ball to left field in the sixth inning just staying inside the foul line to give the men the lead as Zack Chadwell scored on the play from a walk.  

• At 4-3, the Eagles worked to hold down the Yellow Jackets as best as they could, managing to strand seven runners on base the rest of the way. However, the Yellow Jackets found a solid piece to a pitch in the bottom of the eighth with runners in scoring position and did the job to reclaim the lead at 5-4. RMC stood firmly in control as relief pitching came in to close out the game in the ninth to put up a final score of 5-4. 

Game Notes 

• Jake Harris went yard for his third time this season with his third coming in much appreciated timing to ignite the Eagles offense. Harris has totaled three home runs this season. 

• Cam Nuckols gave the Eagles 5.1 innings pitched with a final stat line of seven hits, three earned runs, three walks, and three strikeouts. 

• Ashton Smith recorded solid at-bats going 2-for-3 with a home run. That makes it his seventh home run.  

Up Next 

The Eagles take on No. 4 Shenandoah at noon at Capital One Park.