HARRISONBURG, Va. (BC Athletics) – Bridgewater College baseball opened the season with a strong 10-2 win over DeSales at JMU’s Eagle Field at Veteran’s Memorial Park Friday afternoon.

The Bridgewater College Eagles (BC) bring their record to 1-0 to start the season, and the DeSales Bulldogs have dropped their first game of the season.

How It Happened
• Early action swung in DeSales’ favor, jumping out to an early lead in the opening frame. The Eagles took time to settle in for the first game of the season but quickly found a groove. BC responded in the second inning off a ripped double by Nick Stavros to score in Chandler Valbak and Bryce Suters.
• Later that inning, Bransen Hensley extended the lead at 3-1 with an extra base hit, bringing in Stavros. Then the fourth run was cashed in off Zack Chadwell’s bat with a shot to center field, scoring in Hensley.
• DeSales attempted a brief comeback with an RBI single in the third inning, but the Eagles got out of the jam as Cam Nuckols received a grounder at the mound to grab the final out. In the bottom of the frame, Jake Harris made contact to hustle out a play at first to bring in Ashton Smith for the fifth run on the day. Hensley worked a sacrifice fly soon after to knock in Suters.
• The Eagles cruised along to lace together four runs in the sixth inning started off by freshman Jakson Walter. Errors soon took a toll on the Bulldogs as the Eagles capitalized with three additional runs in the frame. The Eagles safely took the win, 10-2.

Game Notes
• The Eagles showed impressive plate discipline in the first game of the three-game series this weekend totaling seven walks to DeSales’ three.
• Every batter in the Bridgewater lineup contributed with at least a run, hit, or RBI.
• Bransen Hensley and Trent Holland combined with six hits, while Hensley also added two runs scored and two RBIs.
• Cam Nuckols earned the first win of the season with a stat line of five innings pitched, six hits, two earned runs, two strikeouts, and two walks against 22 batters faced.

Up Next
The Eagles are back in action tomorrow, Feb. 14 for a doubleheader against DeSales in Harrisonburg, Va., at JMU’s Veterans Memorial Park. The first game is scheduled for 12 p.m.

— BC Athletics —