FERRUM, Va. — The Bridgewater College baseball team split a pair of contests with Ferrum on Sunday evening.

Final Score: (Game 1) Bridgewater 13, Ferrum 11; (Game 2) Ferrum 7, Bridgewater 6
Records: Bridgewater 12-16 (5-5 ODAC); Ferrum 9-15 (3-7 ODAC)

HOW IT HAPPENED
Game One
• BC had chances early with runners on in the first two frames, but it was Ferrum who got on the board first in the bottom of the second. The Panthers pushed two runs across on a Russell Golembe single to left field to take a 2-0 lead.

• The Eagles had chances again in the third and the fourth innings with runners in scoring position, but again came up empty. Ferrum extended the lead in the bottom of the fifth thanks to a BC defensive miscue that extended the frame. Another rip to left field pushed the run across and made it 3-0 in favor of the home side.

• A huge top of the sixth changed the landscape of the contest. BC loaded the bases for Isaac Sumpter and a knock through the left side allowed for Hunter Clever to score and get Bridgewater on the board. With the bases still loaded, Timothy Hopson dug in next and stretched an infield hit that allowed for Jonathan Sexton to score and kept the bases loaded. Later in the inning with the bases still jammed, Brett Tharp single to the left side allowing for two Eagles to score and give BC its first lead of the game. Hopson extended the lead later in the inning as he scored on a balk to give Bridgewater a 5-3 advantage.

• A scoreless bottom of the sixth from Reid Long gave BC another chance to push the lead in the top of the seventh. Consecutive RBI singles from Hopson and Jarret Biesecker did just that allowing Sexton and Jeffrey Snider to score and extending the edge to 7-3.

• Ferrum got a run back in the bottom half of the frame, but BC gave reliever James Swart a bigger lead to work with thanks to a six run eighth that saw BC hit through the order. Ferrum responded with a big eighth of their own with six runs on four hits to negate the big frame from the Eagles. The Eagles went to Tharp to get the final out of the inning and the career saves leader shut the Panthers down with the exception of a run in the ninth to help BC secure the win.

GAME STATS
• Hopson had a big day at the plate with a trio of RBI along with two hits and two runs scored.

• Clever, Sumpter and Snider all added multi-hit performances as well.

• Long picked up the win after tossing 6.0 innings and totaling a pair of strikeouts.

• Tharp picked up his sixth save of the year in the win.

• Elijah Byrd drove three runs in for the Panthers to lead them offensively.

Game Two
• Brandan Hartman opened game two with a bang as he homered in the top of the first to put the Eagles in control. Ferrum responded in the bottom half of the inning as a runner scored on a double steal to tie the game.

• Hopson kept the momentum from game one rolling as he put a ball in play and reached on an error allowing Sexton to score and give BC the lead back. A wild pitch during the next at bat allowed for Sumpter to score giving the eagles a 3-1 advantage. Just like in the first, Ferrum responded tying the game with a pair of runs knotting the game 3-3.

• FC took the lead in the bottom of the fifth by virtue of a triple to left center that drove in a pair of Panthers making it 5-3 in favor of the home team. Ferrum wasn’t done there and added another run in the bottom of the sixth extending its lead to 6-3 heading to the seventh.

• Bridgewater got back into the game on the bat of Hartman. The junior stepped to the plate with two on and cleared the bases bringing Tharp and Biesecker in to score. Clever stepped in next and tied the game as he reached on an error allowing Hartman to score, making it 6-6.

• BC had two runners on in the top of the eighth but left them stranded. Ferrum loaded the bases with no outs in the bottom half of the frame and for the second time in as many games the Eagles went to Tharp. A fielder’s choice and a 4-6-3 double play kept the game tied heading into the ninth. Bridgewater went down in order in the top of the ninth to keep the game tied. Clayton Michael was hit by a pitch to leadoff the home half of the frame and put the go-ahead runner aboard. A stolen base put Michael in scoring position before a single allowed for him to score and give Ferrum the win.

GAME STATS
• Hartman tallied a pair of knocks and drove in three runs on those two rips.

• Despite taking the loss on the bump, Tharp went 3-for-5 at the plate and scored a run. Collin Reid also tallied a pair of hits in the second game.

• The BC pitching staff tallied eight strikeouts led by five from starter Nick Harris.

• Cameron Mullins grabbed the win for Ferrum after hurling the final 6.0 innings and not allowing an earned run.

UP NEXT
Bridgewater hits the road on Wednesday for the short trip to Eastern Mennonite. The two cross-ton rivals are set to clash at 4 p.m. in Harrisonburg.

— BC Athletics —