SALEM, Va. – In a game that saw a four-plus hour rain delay, the Bridgewater Eagles softball team couldn't overcome a solid offensive effort from the top-seeded Marlins of Virginia Wesleyan as the Eagles fell in the opening round of the Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) tournament by a 10-2 tally in five innings.

Virginia Wesleyan jumped out to a 1-0 lead on the Eagles in the home half of the first inning. Tori Higginbotham was hit by a pitch to open the game and later scored when Season Dailey belted a pitch to right field just over the out-stretched glove of Brooke Throckmorton to put the Marlins out in front by a run.

Bridgewater went down in order in the second inning before the Marlins exploded for three runs in the bottom of the frame to take a commanding 4-0 advantage. Kristina Karagiorgis reached base on a fielder's choice and the Marlins proceeded to load the bases off of a Courtney Bogan walk and a Megan Zahnd single. Karagiorgis and Bogan were chased home on a Higginbotham single to put Virginia Wesleyan out in front, 3-0, before a Kayla Malkos single through the right side pushed home Zahnd for a 4-0 Marlins lead.

In the third, the Eagles' woes continued at the plate as the side was put down in order. Virginia Wesleyan added two more runs in the frame on a Bridgewater miscue and a Bogan triple to run out to a six-run advantage.

Bridgewater finally got the bats going in the fourth as the Eagles got to Virginia Wesleyan reliever Mary Shipp. Karie Burgess singled to open the stanza and moved to second on a wild pitch. Burgess was sent to third when senior Brea Hinegardner reached on an error to put runners at the corners with one away. Haley Harris' groundout put runners at second and third before Samantha Fridley ripped a double through the right side, scoring Burgess and Hinegardner to trim the deficit to 6-2.

A rain-soaked fourth inning continued as the Marlins put a single run on the board prior to a lightning and rain delay which lasted for 4 hours and 38 minutes and left Virginia Wesleyan with runners at second and third with one out and a 7-2 lead.

Out of the stoppage, Harris, who entered in a relief role, forced a groundout before back-to-back doubles to right from the Marlins put Virginia Wesleyan out in front by a 10-2 tally.

In the fifth, Samantha Bird scratched out a single for the Eagles before a line out to center field ended the contest, sending Bridgewater to the loser's bracket with a 10-2 loss in the opening round.

Offensively, the Eagles scattered just three hits on the day as Fridley led the way with a 1-for-2 game with two RBI.

In the circle, Brianna Cox picked up the loss after allowing four runs on four hits over the first two innings of play.

Higginbotham led the Marlins bats with a 2-for-2 game with two RBI.

Karagiorgis picked up the win after tossing the first three innings of the game and allowing no hits. Shipp pitched the final two innings and allowed a pair of runs for the Marlins in a relief role.

Bridgewater falls to the loser's bracket game which will be played on Saturday at 11 a.m. at the Moyer Complex. The Eagles will meet up with Eastern Mennonite in an elimination game.