SALEM, Va. (BC Athletics) – The Bridgewater College Softball team took down Randolph-Macon in the opening round of pod play in the ODAC Tournament.

Game 1
The Basics
Score: Bridgewater 6, Randolph-Macon 3
Records: Bridgewater 27-14, Randolph-Macon 26-15

How It Happened
• Bridgewater stranded a runner in the top of the first as Caroline Malandra drew a four-pitch walk, but was left on second. A one-out single for the Yellow Jackets gave them their first runner of the contest, but a strikeout from Mackenzie Cauthorn and a flyout to Olivia Eastlake kept the game scoreless.
• BC went down in order in the top of the second. Randolph-Macon jumped on the board with the first pitch in the bottom of the second as a deep drive by Davis cleared the wall to make it 1-0.
• The Eagles wasted no time in striking back as Aniella Baldwin earned a walk after a long at bat with one away. Malandra stepped in next and crushed the second pitch she saw over the wall in left center for a two-run home run and gave the Eagles the lead. Cauthorn came back out with the lead and worked through the bottom of the third scoreless. Eastlake opened the top of the fourth for BC with a single, and the Eagles were back in business. A bunt by savage moved her to second, and Lexi Schaaf followed with a singled back up the middle to put runners on the corners. Molly Ecoryd came on to run for the Eagles, and swiped second right away. Jordan Wise stepped in and flew out to center field, allowing Eastlake to score easily. Lily Moyers delivered next as she singled to left field and drove in Ecroyd to extend the lead to 4-1.
• RMC struck back in the bottom of the fourth as a single and a walk put runners on. Hill doubled to left center tod rive in both runners and make it 4-3. Cauthorn regrouped and got out of the frame with the lead intact after she induced a flyout to Abby Byrum.
• Both teams stranded runners in the fifth frame, and BC struck in the sixth. Schaaf drew a four-pitch walk to open the stanza, and a bunt moved her to second. Moyers followed in the clutch again with a souble to the gap to make it 5-3. Moyers moved to third on a groundout and McKenna Dayton delivered with a double to the wall to make it 6-3. RMC had chances to strike back in the sixth as a walk with no outs gave the Yellow Jackets life, but another Cauthorn punchout and a pair of pop-ups kept the lead. A single with two outs in the bottom of the seventh extended the game for RMC, but a pop-up to Malandra secured the round one win.

Match Notes,
• Cauthorn (15-7) extended her program record with nine strikeouts in her complete-game performance. Malandra and Moyers led the BC offense with a pair of RBI, while Moyers and Eastlake each had a pair of hits.
• Kegley (14-4) took the loss for RMC after surrendering four earned runs in the first four innings of the contest. Five different Yellow Jackets tallied a hit, while Hill drove in a pair of runs.

UP NEXT
With the win, BC advances to the winner’s bracket contest in Pod 2 tomorrow against Averett at 11 a.m.

— Bridgewater Athletics —