HAMPDEN-SYDNEY, Va. - Bridgewater College bounced back after losing the first game, 2-1, Sunday afternoon to defeat Hampden-Sydney by the same score in the second game and salvage a split in a key ODAC doubleheader.

Pitching was the name of the game Sunday as runs were hard to come by for both teams.

In the opener, Bridgewater took an early lead, scoring its lone run in the second. Kenner Berry and Brendan Howell both singled to start the inning and both advanced a base on Justin Petock's sacrifice bunt. Berry scored on a wild pitch for a 1-0 Eagles lead.

Bridgewater (20-13, 12-6 in the ODAC) held the lead until the sixth as senior lefty Ryan Leake continued his recent string of strong pitching performances.

In the bottom of the sixth, however, the Tigers nicked Leake for two runs to take the lead. With one out, Cody Smith walked and stole second. Leake struck out Brian Goodwyn for the second out, but Moe Gothe plated Smith with a clutch two-out single to tie the score. Gothe took second on the throw home on his single and then scored on a single by Lee Carneal, giving the Tigers a 2-1 lead.

Dylan Gonzales and Zach Perkins came out of the Tigers bullpen to blank the Eagles over the final three frames and preserve the 2-1 victory for Hampden-Sydney.

Leake was the hard-luck loser as he pitched a complete game and allowed just two runs on three hits in his eight innings on the mound.

In the second game, Bridgewater rode a strong relief effort from senior Steven Woerner to come away with the split.

The Eagles scored first as they loaded the bases in the top of the third. With one out, Austin Batten doubled and Cavin Clyde reached on an error. Chris King walked to load the sacks and Batten scored on a run-scoring groundout by Berry for a 1-0 Eagles lead.

Bridgewater added what proved to be the winning run in the top of the seventh inning. With one out, Damian Reed singled and moved to second on Dylan Horne's sacrifice bunt. Batten then belted his second double of the game, scoring Reed to make the score 2-0.

Woerner entered the game with one out in the bottom of the third and went the rest of the way. The Tigers touched the senior for a run in the eighth to pull to within 2-1, but Woerner retired the side in order in the bottom of the ninth to close out the 2-1victory.

Woerner allowed just one run on four hits in his long relief effort. He struck out four and did not walk a batter.

The victory kept Bridgewater positioned within the top six teams in the tight ODAC regular season standings. Shenandoah sits atop the standings with a 10-4 conference mark, just ahead of Virginia Wesleyan and Washington and Lee, both at 10-5. Randolph-Macon is 9-5 and the Eagles are 10-6. Roanoke is sixth with an 8-6 record, just ahead of Hanpden-Sydney at 7-7.

Bridgewater returns to action Wednesday when the Eagles host first-place Shenandoah. The Eagles won the first meeting with the Hornets earlier this spring by a score of 3-0. First pitch is scheduled for 4:00 p.m.