BRIDGEWATER, Va. – Starting pitcher Ryan Leake gave Bridgewater College eight strong innings on the mound and relievers Ian Mayes and Brady Cockerham navigated the ninth as the Eagles defeated Washington and Lee University, 4-3, in a key ODAC contest Tuesday afternoon.

Bridgewater (15-7-1, 6-6 in the ODAC) took the lead with a run in the bottom of the first. Derrik Walling led off with a single to center and Austin Batten walked. Both runners moved up a base on Darren Yoder's sacrifice bunt and Walling scored on Kenner Berry's grounder to second, giving the Eagles a 1-0 lead.

The Eagles took advantage of a W&L error to score their second run. With one out, Walling single up the middle. After Batten lined out to right for the second out, Walling took second on a passed ball. Walling scored from second on a W&L throwing error, making the score 2-0.

Washington and Lee (6-8, 4-6 in the ODAC), nicked Leake for a run in the fourth. The Bridgewater lefty retired the first 10 batters he faced before giving up a single to left to Kyle Ruedisilli. Two wild pitches moved Ruedisilli to third and he scored on Drew Weprinsky's groundout, cutting the BC lead to 2-1.

The Eagles answered with a pair of runs in the bottom of the fourth. With one out, Brendan Howell belted a long, solo homer over the fence in right-center for a 3-1 Bridgewater lead. Justin Petock followed Howell's homer with a line single up the middle. Petock then stole second and continued to third when the catcher's throw sailed into centerfield. Brandon Poole plated Petock with a grounder to the right side, giving the Eagles a 4-1 lead.

The Generals inched closer with a run in the sixth. Austin Crane led off with a single and moved to second on a grounder back to the mound. Luke Myer then singled to center, scoring Crane to cut the Eagles lead to 4-2.

W&L made it a one-run game with a run in the eighth. Jonny Swenson reached on an error to lead off the inning and he scored on Myer's triple to the gap in the left-center, making the score 4-3. Ruedisilli walked to put runners at the corners, but Leake retired Weprinsky on a grounder to short to preserve the 4-3 lead.

The Generals threatened in the ninth against the Eagles bullpen, stranding the potential tying run at third base.

Mayes took over for Leake on the mound and retired Andrew Head on a sinking liner to left that was caught by a diving Walling for the first out of the inning. Ryan Weston then reached on an opposite-field single to put the potential tying run on base. Cockerham entered for the Eagles and struck out pinch-hitter Tyler Rowe for the second out of the ninth. Swenson kept the Generals' hopes alive with a bloop single to right that just eluded Eagles second baseman Justin Petock. Cockerham preserved the win by retiring Crane on a grounder to Petock at second as the Eagles escaped with the 4-3 victory.

Leake allowed just two earned runs on five hits in his eight innings on the mound. He struck out six and walked just one. Generals' starter Drew Shott was also effective as he allowed just two earned runs on four hits in his complete game effort.

The Eagles return to action Wednesday when they travel to Lynchburg College for an important conference doubleheader with the Hornets. Lynchburg, 3-4 in ODAC play, lost 11-4 Tuesday afternoon to the Guilford Quakers.