SALEM, Va. (BC Athletics) – The Bridgewater College softball team fell to Roanoke 2-1 in an elimination game at the ODAC Softball Championships on Monday afternoon.

Records: Bridgewater 29-14; Roanoke 22-21

How It Happened
• Roanoke jumped on the board quickly with back-to-back singles to open the contest. RC dropped a bunt on a sacrifice attempt, but the throw was off target allowing the lead runner to score and move the other runner to third. A sacrifice fly drove in the lead runner to make it 2-0 for the Maroons before the Eagles came to the plate.
• BC was put down in order in the home half of the first and Mackenzie Cauthorn put Roanoke away as well. Jazmyne Smith led off the home half of the second and she was moved to second after a bunt, but punch outs by Maggie McCray ended the scoring chance.
• An error and a walk put runners on for the Maroons in the top of the third, but a reflex play by Cauthorn and a hard grounder to Caroline Malandra at second silenced the chance. Both teams did not see a runner reach over the next six outs, but a leadoff single by Jordan Wise in the fourth put BC in business. Smith walked after a pop up to put wo on, but another strikeout helped Roanoke see the light at the end of the tunnel. Lily Moyers stepped I next and delivered with a single the opposite way to drive in the pinch runner Molly Ecroyd and make it 2-1 after four.
• Evelyn Rhoads entered in relief of Cauthorn in the fourth and continued to roll in the fifth as she ran her streak of scoreless innings to over 20 straight frames without allowing a run. Both pitchers continued to deal sending the came to the bottom of the seventh with a one-run difference.
• BC did not go down without a fight. Moyers lined out for the first out, but Lexi Schaaf followed with a hard-hit ball to third and the fielder could not make the play allowing the tying run to reach. Andrea Savage met the same fate as she put a ball in play, but a bad throw put her on and allowed the pinch runner Aniella Baldwin to reach third. Hannah Mahan came up next and flew out to shallow left center, just not deep enough for Baldwin to tag from third. Malandra stepped in next and fought off a few pitches in a long at bat, but was put down swinging.

Match Notes
• Cauthorn took the loss after tossing the opening three frames. The junior also tied the program’s single-season strikeout record with her two punch outs in the contest. Rhoads tossed the final four and allowed just one base runner.
• Wise, Smith, Moyers and Mahan accounted for the Eagles’ hits in the contest.
• McCray picked up the victory as the Maroons move on. RC was limited to three hits as Courts had the loan RBI.
Bridgewater will await its fate in the NCAA Softball Selection show next weekend as they sit on the bubble of getting an at-large bid.

— BC Athletics —