ASHLAND, Va. (BC Athletics) – The Bridgewater College Softball team split a pair of games with Randolph-Macon as Mackenzie Cauthorn set the program’s single-season strikeout record.

Game 1
The Basics
Score: Bridgewater 4, Randolph-Macon 0
Records: Bridgewater 24-13 (11-8 ODAC), Randolph-Macon 23-14 (10-7 ODAC)

How It Happened
• Bridgewater looked to strike early as McKenna Mueller singled with one away in the top of the first, but she was left stranded at second. Randolph-Macon put a runner on thanks to a fielding error in the bottom of the frame, but Cauthorn opened the contest dealing as she struck out the side, leaving the runner on.
• RMC tallied its first hit in the bottom of the second, but two more punchouts by Cauthorn kept the Yellow Jackets silenced. Cauthorn continued to deal, including striking out the side in order in the bottom of the fourth as the game remained scoreless.
• Andrea Savage got BC on the scoreboard with one swing in the top of the fifth. The senior launched a ball to left field for a solo home run to open the frame and give Bridgewater a 1-0 lead. The Eagles weren’t done there as Lily Moyers followed with a single and her pinch runner, Molly Ecroyd, moved to second on a bunt. Lexi Schaaf stepped in with two outs in a pinch-hit scenario and delivered. The junior doubled to the power alley in right field and Ecroyd scored easily to make it 2-0 in favor of BC.
• Cauthorn came back out with the lead and continued to roll as RMC went down in order again, including another strikeout to end the stanza. The Eagles looked to add to the lead in the visiting half of the sixth frame as McKenna Dayton singled to open it. Olivia Eastlake reached on an error as she laid down a bunt, and a Jordan Wise sacrifice moved the runners into scoring position. A walk by savage loaded the bases, but a strike out and a fielder’s choice ended the frame with the bases juiced.
• RMC looked to rally as an infield hit and a walk put two runners aboard in the home half of the sixth, but a pop up to Savage at third base ended the frame with the lead intact. Bridgewater responded by adding some insurance. Cauthorn opened the frame with a single up the middle and Aniella Baldwin drew a walk tp put a pair of runners on with no outs. Mueller dug in next and singled the opposite way to drive in the lead runner and make it 3-0. Eastlake stepped in an out later and flew out to right field, allowing Baldwin to tag up and score to make it 4-0. Cauthorn came back out and opened the seventh with another strikeout, while a flyout to Baldwin and a groundout to Mueller secured the win for the Eagles.

Match Notes,
• Cauthorn (13-7) broke her own program single-season record as her 12 strikeouts moved her to 123 on the year after her shutout performance. She also limited RMC to two hits and just three base runners. Mueller fueled the BC offense with a pair of hits, while her, Schaaf, Eastlake and Cauthorn all drove in a run.
• Jackson (8-8) took the loss as she was tagged for seven hits and four earned runs. Powell and Davis had RMC’s two hits.

Game 2
The Basics
Score: Randolph-Macon 8, Bridgewater 0 (Five Innings)
Records: Bridgewater 24-14 (11-9 ODAC), Randolph-Macon 24-14 (11-7 ODAC)

How It Happened
• Bridgewater went down in order to start game two, and the Yellow Jackets looked to pounce. RMC strung together a pair of hits, but a line out to Mueller ended the frame.
• Randolph-Macon put the Eagles down in order again in the second and capitalized. Lamberth opened the second frame with a solo home run to make it 1-0 on the first pitch of the bottom half of the inning. Kylie Jones regrouped with two quick outs, but a pair of walks put two runners on. Boswell stepped in next and homered to left field to push the lead to 4-0.
• BC tried to respond in the top of the third as Jordan Wise opened the frame with a single. A bunt moved her to second and Kaelyn Ramsey was tagged by a pitch to put the Eagles in business. BC tried to capitalize, but a pair of fielder’s choices ended the BC threat.
• Both teams went down in order until the bottom of the fourth. A walk opened the frame, but Elena Williams regrouped in relief and got out of the frame unscathed.
• The Eagles went down in order in the fifth and RMC jumped on the chance once again. A walk and a single put two runners on, while a bunt moved the runners into scoring position. A deep flyout allowed the lead runner to score and make it 5-0. Another single followed to put runners on the corners and Talley followed with a three-run drive to left field to make it 8-0 and call the game due to run rule.

Match Notes,
• Jones (1-4) took the loss after recording the first five outs of the contest. Wise had BC’s lone hit as her and Ramsey were BC’s only runners.
• Kegley (13-3) picked up the complete game win. Brabson tallied a pair of hits for RMC.

Up Next
Bridgewater is back in action on Wednesday at Mary Washington in their regular season finale.

— BC Athletics —