HARRISONBURG, Va. - The Bridgewater College softball team took two losses as the Eagles faced cross-town and conference rival Eastern Mennonite University.

In the opening game, Bridgewater was first on the board as Jen Balcom scored on a sacrifice fly from Amanda Lutz in the top of the first, but the Royals were quick to respond as a ground-rule double gave Eastern Mennonite a run to tie the score.

The Royals took the lead in the bottom of the second as three runners scored for a 4-1 edge over the Eagles.

Bridgewater tried hard to find another run but Eastern Mennonite would push their lead further with two more runs in the fifth inning for a score of 6-1.

Eastern Mennonite held steady has the Royals caught every ball the Eagles hit before collecting three more runs to clinch the 9-1 victory in six innings.

Balcom and Brooke Throckmorton were 1-for-2 at bat for the Eagles. Lutz tallied the only RBI for the day. 

Brianna Cox pitched five innings in the circle, allowing nine runs on 13 hits while striking out two batters and walking two.

For the Royals, Mariah Foltz went 3-for-3 and collected three runs and three RBIs. Aislinn Lucas also went 3-for-3 at the plate with one RBI while Danyele Smith went 2-for-3 and also tallied one RBI.

Jordan Aylor took the win in the circle, allowing on run on three hits while striking out one and walking two.

Neither team scored in first inning of the second game but the Royals managed to pull ahead in the bottom of the second as Mariah Foltz scored on Smith's double.

Although the Royals added another run in the bottom of the fourth for a 2-0 advantage, the Eagles managed to tie up the score in the top of the fifth as Throckmorton brought home Lacey Shifflet before taking advantage of an Eastern Mennonite error to score.

The Royals were quick to find a go-ahead run in the bottom of the fifth and ultimately sealed the win as a home run by Casey Racer brought in Jasmine Johnson for the final 7-2 score.

Ryan Kirtner went 1-for-2 at bat while Shifflet, Cox, and Throckmorton both went 1-for-3 with Throckmorton notching the only RBI.

Lutz took the loss in the circle as she allowed seven runs on 10 hits and struck out three batters while walking two.

Racer was 1-for-1 at the plate with one run and three RBIs for the Royals. Angela Miller also went 1-for-1, collecting one run and two RBIs while Lucas was 2-for-4 with one run.

Lauren Seale pitched all seven innings for Eastern Mennonite and allowed two runs on four hits while striking out four batters and walking two.

The Eagles return home on Thursday when they go against visiting Mary Baldwin College on Fulk Field. First game is set to start at 3 p.m.