AMHERST, Va. – The Bridgewater College softball team swept Sweet Briar to open ODAC play.
Game 1
The Basics
Score: Bridgewater 3, Sweet Briar 2
Records: Bridgewater 9-4 (1-0 ODAC), Sweet Briar 7-8 (0-1 ODAC)
How It Happened
- BC jumped on the board right away. Caroline Malandra opened the game with a home run on the game's sixth pitch to make it 1-0. BC went down in order following the solo shot and Mackenzie Cauthorn followed as she put down the Vixens in order in the bottom of the first.
- The Eagles went down in order in the second, and SBC looked to pounce, but left two runners on. Bridgewater added to the lead in the top of the third as Aniella Baldwin and Malandra each drew walks. With two outs, McKenna Mueller stepped in and delivered with a single to drive in Baldwin to make it 2-0.
- Sweet Briar struck back in the bottom of the third as an error opened the frame. A sacrifice bunt moved the runner over and a double drove in the runner with just one out. BC regrouped as a pair of plays by Andrea Savage at third base kept the lead intact. The Eagles responded immediately after as Leiah Branch opened the top of the fourth with a single straight back up the middle. Ashley Matthews came on to run and swiped second base before being moved to third base after a sacrifice bunt. Jordan Wise dug in next and gave up her at bat as she laid down a bunt back up the middle. SBC could not field it cleanly, allowing Matthews to score and Wise to reach safely as the throw to the plate was not in time. Baldwin followed with a single a few outs later and swiped second base to put two runners in scoring position, but they were left stranded.
- SBC got back on the board in the bottom of the fourth as a leadoff single put the home side in business. A groundout moved the runner into scoring position, before she stole third and scored on a wild pitch with two outs to make it a 3-2 BC advantage.
- BC went down in order in the top of the fifth and the sixth, but the Eagles' defense remained steady as Sweet Briar left a trio of runners stranded during the same span of time. Cauthorn continued to roll in the seventh as she got the opening two outs with ease. SBC managed to put the potential tying run on base with a two-out base knock, but a dart from Skylar Buzbee caught the runner stealing on her way to second and secured the win.
Match Notes,
- Cauthorn (5-2) picked up her 28th career victory to move to eighth in program history. BC was held to just four hits offensively, but BC managed to steal four bases in the victory.
- Taylor (5-2) took the loss for SBC despite tallying seven strikeouts. Hudson led the Vixens with three of the team's seven hits.
Game 2
The Basics
Score: Bridgewater 9, Sweet Briar 0 (Five Innings)
Records: Bridgewater 10-4 (2-0 ODAC), Sweet Briar 7-9 (0-2 ODAC)
How It Happened
- BC struck early in game two. The Eagles were down to their final out of the opening frame, but Mueller singled to extend the inning. The Eagles' short stop moved to second on a wild pitch, and Lily Moyers delivered with a single to drive her in, making it 1-0.
- Evelyn Rhoads got the call in game two and put down Sweet Briar in order in its first trip. The BC offense got back to work as Kaelyn Ramsey opened the frame with a single. Savage looked to move her over with a bunt, but Ramsey's speed allowed Savage to reach safely at first as the Vixens had to contemplate between throwing to first or third and chose to do neither. With runners on the corners, Cauthron grounded into a double play as Ramsey scored easily to make it 2-0.
- SBC stranded runners in the second and third frames before the BC offense got clicking again in the top of the fourth. Abby Byrum opened the frame with a single, and Mathews came on to run for her. She swiped second without a throw and Ramsey followed with a laser to left center to drive her in and make it 3-0. Cauthorn stepped in next as she laid down a bunt and chaos ensued. An errant throw allowed her to reach safely, while Ramsey scored from second standing up. Cauthron swiped second to put a pair of runners in scoring position for Malandra. She delivered with a deep sacrifice fly to score Savage and extend the lead further. Baldwin stepped in next and grounded out to second, allowing Cauthorn to score and push it to 6-. Mueller and Moyers followed with singles, before Lexi Schaaf to drive in the lead runner to make it 7-0.
- Sweet Briar flew out three times in the bottom of the fourth as BC kept the shutout going.
- BC added on as Savage singled with one away in the top of the fifth. Sarah Kate Tozier came on to run for her and moved to second as Emberly Coffey drew a walk. Molly Ecroyd dug in an out later and doubled to drive in Tozier and make it 8-0. A wild pitch allowed Willow Barr to score, Coffey's pinch runner, to push the lead to 9-0 heading to the home half of the frame. An error put the leadoff runner on for the Vixen's but Rhoads regrouped and polished off the shutout with a strikeout.
Match Notes,
- Rhoads (4-1) picked up the win for the Eagles in the circle as she allowed just three hits in the shutout. BC tallied 11 hits in the victory, including multi-hit efforts from Mueller, Moyers, Schaaf and Ramsey.
- O'Quinn (0-1) took the loss for Sweet Briar. Three different Vixen's accounted for the squad's three hits.
Up Next
Bridgewater returns home on Sunday as Mary Baldwin visits for a pair of games.
