BRIDGEWATER, Va. (BC Athletics) – The Bridgewater College softball team dropped a pair of games to top-ranked Virginia Wesleyan on Sunday.

Game 1
The Basics
Score: No. 1 Virginia Wesleyan 4, Bridgewater 2
Records: Bridgewater 18-5 (6-1 ODAC), No. 1 Virginia Wesleyan 23-0 (7-0 ODAC)

How It Happened
• Virginia Wesleyan put a runner on with a two-out hit in the top of the first, but a Mackenzie Cauthorn strikeout silenced the threat. BC looked to respond as Aniella Baldwin walked with one out. A groundout moved her to second, and she got to third on a wild pitch, but a strikeout ended the frame.
• The Marlins left runners stranded second, third and fourth frames, while BC did not put a runner on during that time span.
• Baldwin broke the no-hit bid for the Marlins in the bottom of the fourth as she opened the frame with a single through the shift. McKenna Mueller followed with a bunt to move her to second, but Baldwin did not stop there. She headed for second and slid in safely at third just narrowly. Despite the VWU pleas, the call stood. The Marlins stood tall as a strikeout, and an infield pop-up left Baldwin 60 feet from home.
• Both sides went down in order in the fifth, but VWU struck in the sixth. The first two batters of the inning reached for the Marlins and McQueen followed with a three-run home run to left field to make it 3-0 for the visitors. A double followed for VWU and a bunt moved the runner to third. A sacrifice fly made it 4-0 for VWU.
• BC struck back in the bottom of the sixth. With one gone, Caroline Malandra doubled to the wall in center field, and Baldwin moved her to third with a single the opposite way. Mueller stepped in next and drove a ball off the wall in left-center for a double to drive in the pair of Eagles. She moved to third base on the throw to the plate, but was left stranded there as neither BC hitter could drive her in. VWU stranded a possible insurance run in the seventh, and BC went down in order in the seventh for the Eagles’ first conference loss of the season.

Match Notes,
• Cauthorn (9-3) tossed her 32nd complete game in the loss. Baldwin had a pair of hits for BC as Mueller drove in both runs.
• Hearl (12-0) picked up the win for the Marlins as she struck out seven. Deitsch had a pair of hits, but it was McQueen’s blast that made the difference.

Game 2
The Basics
Score: No. 1 Virginia Wesleyan 10, Bridgewater 4
Records: Bridgewater 18-6 (6-2 ODAC), No. 1 Virginia Wesleyan 24-0 (8-0 ODAC)

How It Happened
• The Marlins put a pair of runners on with back-to-back hits with two outs in the top of the first, but a foul pop-up to Andrea Savage ended the frame. BC went down in order in the top of the first as Adams rolled for the Marlins.
• VWU loaded the bases in the top of the second, but Malandra threw out the lead runner at the plate, and a pop-up back to her ended the frame for BC.
• The visitors struck in a big way in the top of the third. BC got the leadoff batter out, but an error allowed the next hitter to reach, and the Marlins cashed in. VWU registered four straight doubles and a run on each to quickly make it 4-0. The double-streak broke with an infield hit, but another double followed and drove in two more runs to make it 6-0. VWU added one more on a pair of wild pitches to make it 7-0 when the damage was said and done. BC struck back in the home half of the frame as they cashed in on a VWU mistake. Abby Byrum reached on an error and Jordan Wise followed with a base knock to put two runners on. A bunt moved the runners over, and Malandra drove in Byrum on a groundout to make it 7-1.
• BC struck again in the fourth as Leiah Branch started the rally with two outs. She singled, and Savage followed with a single to score Molly Ecroyd all the way from first after she ran for Branch. Byrum singled to put two runners on and extend the threat, but a groundout stranded the pair of runners.
• Both teams stranded runners down the stretch thanks to some flashy defense. VWU added to the lead with two outs in the top of the seventh as a pair of singles put two runners on. McQueen cashed in again as she homered to left field to make it 10-2 heading to the bottom of he seventh. McKenna Dayton led off for BC and singled in her pinch-hit at bat to start the comeback. Olivia Eastlake followed with a base rip in the same spot two put a pair of runners on. The duo moved into scoring position after a groundout, and Brianna Petrolia pinch-hit next. The rookie put a ball in play, but an error by the Marlins allowed her to reach safely, and both runners scored to make it 10-4. Mueller stepped in next and connected on a ball destined for the gap, but Adams knocked it down in the circle, and the Marlins made the play to stay unbeaten.

Match Notes,
• Rhoads (8-2) took the loss as she surrendered three earned runs in 2.1 innings of work. BC tallied six hits as Malandra and Savage each drove in a run.
• Adams (11-0) took the win as she went the distance. McQueen paced the Marlins again with three RBI and three hits.

Up Next
Bridgewater hosts No. 15 Christopher Newport on Wednesday.

— EMU Athletics —