BRIDGEWATER, Va. - Bridgewater junior Jonathan Mason belted a pair of three-run homers and freshman Derrik Walling added a two-run blast Tuesday afternoon to lead the Eagles to a 15-2 victory over Catholic.
Catholic nicked BC starter Joseph Lucas for a run in the first on a run-scoring single by Colin McCarthy, but the Eagles responded and broke the game with a seven-run second inning. Andrew Hacker walked to lead off the inning and Alex Nuttycombe singled before Mason belted a homer down the rightfield line for a 3-0 Bridgewater lead. Zach Hynes singled and one out later Walling delivered his two-run shot to right, making the score 5-0. Devon Snow singled and moved into scoring position on a wild pitch and then scored on a single by Bryan Sanderson to make it 6-0. Sanderson scored on a double by Hacker to put the Eagles on top 7-1.
The Cardinals added another run in the top of the fifth, but BC answered with four in the bottom of the inning to lead 11-2.
Sanderson led off with a single and stole second before a single by Nuttycombe put runners at the corners. Mason then unloaded his second homer, this one well over the fence in rightcenter to give the Eagles a 10-1 lead. With two outs, Jay Thompson tripled and then scored on a wild pitch, making the score 11-2.
The Eagles completed the scoring with four runs in the seventh. With one out, Nuttycombe singled and Mason was hit by a pitch. Nuttycombe scored on a single by Thompson to make the score 12-2 and a single by Christian Armstrong loaded the bases with two outs. Ryan Smith then cleared the sacks with a three-run double to the gap in leftcenter to give BC a 15-2 lead.
Lucas picked up the victory with five solid innings of work. He allowed two runs on four hits while striking out two and walking two. Kyle Henshaw, Tyler Conley, Tyler Slanovec and Corey Armentrout combined for four innings of shutout relief. Conley and Armentrout each struck out three hitters.
The Eagles are now 26-11 on the season while the Cardinals drop to 21 -12.