FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. – Bridgewater College opened the 2020 season in impressive fashion with wins over DeSales and Arcadia at the Diamond Invitational hosted by Methodist University. The Eagles defeated DeSales 6-1 in the opener and then held off Arcadia, 8-5, in Saturday's second game.

In the opener, Tucker Garrison and Hunter Clever combined to limit DeSales to five hits and no earned runs in a 6-1 victory.

The Eagles jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first. With one out, Jacob Talley, Kevin Navedo and Luke Paczewski each walked to load the bases. Matthew LaPrade's infield single scored Talley and Navedo scored on a throwing error on the play to put the Eagles up 2-0.

Bridgewater made it 3-0 with a run in the third when Talley singled, took second on a wild pitch and scored on an error.

DeSales scored its lone run in the bottom of the third, but the Eagles answered with single runs in the fourth and fifth innings. In the fourth, Jarret Biesecker reached on a one-out single through the left side and scored on Talley's double to left-center, making the score 4-1. In the fifth, JT Creed led off the inning with a double down the leftfield line and moved to third on LaPrade's groundout. With two outs, Jacob Grabeel singled up the middle, scoring Creed for a 5-1 Eagles' lead.

The Eagles scored their final run in the eighth when they loaded the bases with no outs as Biesecker singled, Talley was hit by a pitch and Navedo singled. Biesecker scored when Paczewski grounded into a double play.

Garrison was sharp in his first start, allowing just four hits and one unearned run in six innings to pick up the win. The Eagles lefty struck out five and walked one. Clever earned the save with three shutout innings in his first collegiate appearance. He allowed one hit and fanned two batters.

Biesecker was 4-for-6 while Talley and LaPrade each added a pair of hits.

Bridgewater scored in each of the first five innings against Arcadia to jump out to a 6-1 lead.

The Eagles took the lead with a run in the bottom of the first. Biesecker led off with a single, moved to second on a passed ball and took third on an infield ground. Navedo plated Biesecker with a single for a 1-0 Eagles lead.

Bridgewater added an unearned run in the second and scored in the third on Navedo's solo homer making the score 3-0.

In the fourth, LaPrade and Tanner Montgomery reached on singles and LaPrade scored on a single by Jeffrey Snider, making the score 4-1.

Navedo walked to lead off the fifth inning and took second on a single by Paczewski. Creed followed with a single to right-center, scoring Navedo to make it 5-1. After LaPrade was hit by a pitch, Paczewski scored on a sacrifice fly by Grabeel, pushing the advantage to 6-1.

Arcadia scored one in the top of the eighth, but the Eagles answered with two runs in the bottom of the inning. Montgomery walked to lead off the inning and Snider singled. Biesecker was hit by a pitch to load the sacks and Talley walked to drive in a run. Navedo also drew a bases-loaded walk, making the score 8-2.

After two solid innings of relief, Brett Tharp ran into trouble in the top of the ninth. Tharp retired the first two batters, but Arcadia plated three runs with back-to-back doubles and a single to pull within 8-5. Tucker Hrasky came in from the bullpen and the Eagles lefty struck out the only batter he faced to finish the game.

Hunter Mohr gave the Eagles a strong start, pitching four innings and allowing one unearned run on four hits. He struck out five and walked one. Robbie Stoss picked up the win, working 1.2 innings and giving up no runs on three hits.

Navedo was 2-for-3 with three RBIs while Paczewski and Snider collected two hits each. 

The Eagles will complete their weekend swing to Carolina on Sunday when they play Methodist.