BRIDGEWATER, Va. – The Bridgewater College baseball team improved to 4-0 on the season with a non-conference doubleheader sweep over Mount Saint Vincent. The Eagles won the opener 8-2 and took the second game 10-1.
The visitors struck first in Game 1 against Eagles starter Corey Armentrout, scoring a single run in the second.
Keith Schroeher singled up the middle to lead off the inning and stole second. Michael Esposito then walked to put runners at first and second. Schroeher moved to third when Armentrout threw to first, trying to pick off Esposito. After Christopher Sideli struck out, Tim Hoxha singled up the middle for a 1-0 Dolphins lead.
The Eagles took their first lead with two runs in the third inning. Derrik Walling reached on an error to lead off the inning and moved to third on a single by Nick Fulk. After Fulk swiped second, Walling scored on a sacrifice fly by Bryan Sanderson to tie the score. Fulk moved to third on Sanderson's fly ball and scored on a sacrifice fly by Bay Liskey, making the score 2-1.
The teams traded runs in the fourth inning. Esposito led off the top of the inning with a double and moved to third on a sacrifice bunt. He scored on Hoxha's single, tying the score at 2-2.
Bridgewater regained the lead in the bottom of the inning when Zach Hynes led off with a triple and scored on a sacrifice fly by Darren Yoder for a 3-2 lead.
The Eagles added a single run in the sixth. With two outs, Walling was hit by a pitch and stole second. Fulk followed with a single up the middle, making the score 4-2.
Bridgewater finally broke the game open with a four-run eighth. Hunter Hensley led off the inning with a bunt single and moved to third on a hit-and-run single by Cavin Clyde. Walling then belted a three-run homer, making the score 7-2. Fulk made it back-to-back jacks with a solo shot to left for an 8-2 Eagles lead.
Armentrout worked six innings to improve to 2-0 on the season. The junior lefty allowed two runs on four hits. Tyler Slanovec pitched a scoreless seventh and Dillon Via picked up his second save with two shutout innings.
Fulk was 3-for-5 with two runs scored and two RBIs to pace the offense. Liskey, Hynes, Hensley and Clyde each added two hits to the Eagles 13-hit attack.
In the second game, the Eagles took the lead with four runs in the sixth on just one base hit and then broke the game open with a six-run outburst in the eighth inning.
The Dolphins nicked Eagles starter Kyle Henshaw for a run in the fourth to take a 1-0 lead. Nicholas Pace led off the inning with a single and Joseph Senisi was hit by a pitch, putting two runners on with no outs. Josh Sharpe followed with a single through the right side, plating Pace with the Dolphins first run.
Mount Saint Vincent starter Tyler Krolikowski silenced the Bridgewater bats over the first five innings. The right-hander blanked the Eagles on three hits while striking out six and walking two.
Bridgewater took advantage of four errors in the sixth inning to score four runs off Dolphins relief pitcher Daniel DiLascio. With one out Fulk reached on a fielding error and Sanderson walked. Sanderson's at-bat was kept alive when the right fielder dropped a foul ball. Liskey then walked to load the bases with one out. Howell then hit a grounder to second. The second baseman flipped the ball to the shortstop who failed to touch the bag on the force, allowing all runners to advance safely with Howell also reaching first. With the bases still full, Hynes plated a run with a sacrifice fly making the score 2-1. Ryan Leake then entered as a pinch-hitter and singled to right scoring Howell. Liskey also scored on the play to make it 4-1 when the outfielder misplayed Leake's hit.
The Eagles scored six runs in the eighth on eight hits to break the game open.
With one out, Sanderson, Liskey and Howell ripped consecutive doubles, making the score 6-1. Clyde plated a run with a fielder's choice grounder and another run scored on an infield error, pushing the Eagles lead to 8-1. Walling plated the final two runs with a base hit to put Bridgewater on top 10-1.
The Dolphins added their final run in the ninth on Espositio's solo homer to right off Justin Petock.
Henshaw picked up the victory with seven strong innings. He allowed one run on four hits while striking out seven. Petock picked up the save by working the final two frames. He allowed just one hit, Esposito's solo homer, and struck out three batters.
Walling paced the offense with a 2-for-5 effort and two RBIs. Sanderson and Hynes added two hits apiece and Howell drove in two runs.