BRIDGEWATER, Va. (BC Athletics) – The Bridgewater College softball team swept Randolph in a doubleheader on Senior Day.

Game 1
The Basics
Score: Bridgewater 10, Randolph 1
Records: Bridgewater 22-7 (9-2 ODAC), Randolph 2-21 (0-9 ODAC)

How It Happened
• Mackenzie Cauthorn started game one and picked up where she left off on Tuesday, with a pair of strikeouts as Randolph went down to open the contest. BC wasted no time getting on the board as Caroline Malandra reached on an error in the first at bat in the bottom of the first. She swiped second and Anielle Baldwin reached on a dropped third strike to put two runners on. McKenna Mueller reached on a fielder’s choice to load the bases, and Abby Byrum delivered an out later with a double to the wall in left center to drive in a pair of runs. BC scratched another across as Jordan Wise reached on an error, but Mueller scored easily to make it 3-0. A walk loaded the bases, but a round ball ended the frame.
• Cauthorn struck out two more in the top of the second. BC loaded the bases again in the second frame, but a deep flyout by Wise ended the frame. Cauthorn kept rolling in the circle as she struck out two more WildCats to keep the perfect game bid through the third frame.
• Savage opened the bottom of the third by reaching on an error. Cauthorn wore a pitch to reach as well, and Malandra stepped in next. The junior delivered with a three-run home run off the hitting facility in left field to make it 6-0. BC left a runner stranded, but the damage was done.
• Cauthorn’s perfect bid fell apart in the top of the fourth as the first batter of the frame was tagged by a pitch. The runner advanced all the way to third, but a strikeout at the dish kept Randolph off the board and still without a hit through four innings. BC went down in order in the bottom half, and the WildCats put a runner on with a walk to open the visiting half of the fifth. Cauthorn regrouped and got two quick outs, but a single by Compton broke up the not-hit bid and pushed the lead-runner across to make it 6-1.
• BC left the bases loaded again in the bottom of the fifth and Randolph left a runner stranded in scoring potsition in the top of the sixth. BC pounced in the bottom of the sixth as Byrum drew a four-pitch walk. A bunt moved her over to second, and Andrea Savage drilled a ball back up the middle to allow her to score and make it 7-1. Olivia Eastlake drew a walk to put another runner on with just one out. Cauthorn stepped in next and drilled a ball the opposite way. It got down for a base hit, but the right fielder could not handle it, and the ball rolled to the wall. Both runners ahead of Cauthorn scored, and the pitcher showed off her athleticism as she touched them all on her way to scoring, making it 10-1 before the game ended due to the mercy rule.

Match Notes,
• Cauthorn (12-3) tossed her 35th complete game as she struck out eight hitters to close it down to just six punchouts separating her from the all-time program record. Baldwin led the offense with a 3-for-4 effort at the plate, while Malandra drove in three runs and Byrum added two.
• Moran (0-9) took the loss for Randolph as she gave up three unearned runs. Herzig and Compton had the two hits for Randolph, but four errors plagued the WildCats.

Game 2
The Basics
Score: Bridgewater 8, Randolph 0
Records: Bridgewater 23-7 (10-2 ODAC), Randolph 2-22 (0-10 ODAC)

How It Happened
• Elena Williams got the nod for game two and worked through the opening frame unscathed. Malandra led off the home half of the first with a four-pitch walk, and Baldwin followed with a single the opposite way to put a pair of runners on. Mueller stepped in next and reached on an error that allowed Mlandra to score and get the scoring started. Byrum followed with a single to left field to advance Baldwin and Mueller to load the bases. A fielder’s choice limited BC from scoring Baldwin, but a sharp lineout by Lily Moyers to center field allowed Mueller to tag and score. Savage followed with a single back up the middle and Byrum just slid in to score and make it 3-0.
• Williams continued to deal in the second and third frames, including a punchout in the latter frame. BC added to the lead off the bat of Moyers again. Mueller singled to open the frame, but a fielder’s choice put Byrum at first with one out. Byrum flexed her speed as Moyers singled to left center and the runner scored all the way from first to make it 4-0.
• BC added to the lead in the bottom of the fourth in a huge way. Sarah Kate Tozier came up with one out in the frame and slapped a balk the other way for a hit. The ball hit the deck and shot wildly to the right and got past the fielder, rolling all the way to the fence. The speedy Tozier scooted her way all the way home for a little league inside-the-park home run to make it 5-0.
• Randolph mustered together a chance in the fifth. A hit by pitch, single and a four-pitch walk loaded the bases with one out. Evelyn Rhoads came in to pitch and got out of the jam with a flyout to Byrum and a groundout, keeping the shutout alive.
• Bridgewater added to the lead in the home half of the fifth as singles by Lexi Schaaf and Lily Moyers put two runners on. Savage delivered with a double the opposite way to drive in both runners and make it 7-0 for the Eagles. Randolph put a runner on the top of the sixth, but she was caught stealing after a great throw by Schaaf. BC put the icing on the cake in the bottom of the frame as Baldwin singled, and Mueller followed with a single back up the middle, the WildCats fumbled the throw in, allowing Baldwin to score and ending the game via the mercy rule at 8-0.

Match Notes,
• Williams (1-0) picked up the win for the Eagles in the circle on senior day. Rhoads (1) tallied the save after she worked out of the bases-loaded jam. Savage and Moyers fueled the offense with three and two runs driven in for BC. Balwin, Mueller, Moyers and Savage all had multiple hits for the Eagles.
• Humble (1-11) took the loss for Randolph. Four different WildCats had base hits, while Christian drew a pair of walks.

Up Next
Bridgewater is back in action on Sunday at Lynchburg in a high-stakes ODAC clash on the road.

— BC Athletics —