FERRUM, Va. - Ferrum College pushed across a pair of runs in the bottom of the ninth inning Thursday night to defeat Bridgewater College, 5-4, in non-conference baseball action.

Ferrum grabbed a quick 2-0 lead with single runs in the first and second innings off BC starter Dillon Via.

Bridgewater tied the score in the top of the third. Alex Nuttycombe and Bryan Sanderson led off with singles and both advanced on a sacrifice bunt by Jonathan Mason. Andrew Hacker then chased home both runners with a single, tying the game at 2-2.

The Eagles took the lead with a run in the seventh on a sacrifice fly by Mason but the Panthers scored in the bottom of the seventh to tie the score at 3-3.

Bridgewater regained the lead in the eighth with an unearned and releif pitcher Tyler Conley worked out of a big jam in the bottom of the eighth to preserve the lead. Conley entered with one out and runners on second and third, but the lefty retired the two batters he faced on a fly ball to left and a grounder to shortstop.

The Eagles had an opportunity to pad the lead in the top of the ninth when they loaded the sacks with one out, but Ferrum Justin Puentes struck out Jay Thompson and retired Zach Hynes on a popup to keep the Panthers within one.

Ferrum got the break it needed to start the ninth when Casey Naff reached on an infield error. After a sacrifice bunt, BC reliever Kyle Henshaw retired Peter Byron on a fly to right for the second out of the inning. Taryn Hayden then walked to keep the inning alive and the Eagles summoned Tyler Slanovec from the bullpen. Ferrum's Matt Reynolds greeted Slanovec with a single to tie the score and Paul Jaglowski followed with a walk-off single, giving the Panthers the 5-4 victory.

Nuttycombe and Sanderson each finished with a pair of hits and Hacker drove in two runs to lead the offense.

Via was in line for the victory as he pitched 7.1 innings and allowed three runs on eight hits. He struck out five and walked one.

The Eagles, now 18-8 overall, return to action Saturday when they travel to Emory & Henry for an ODAC doubleheader.