CLAREMONT, Calif. - The Bridgewater College baseball team got back on the winning track Tuesday with a 14-6 victory over Claremont-Scripps-Mudd.
The hosts took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first off Bridgewater starter Kyle Henshaw, but the Eagles evened the score with two runs in the top of the second inning. Bridgewater loaded the bases on a single by Brendan Howell and walks to Derrik Walling and Bryan Sanderson. A sacrifice fly by Nick Fulk scored Howell and a throwing error on the play allowed Walling to score, tying the game at 2-2.
The Eagles took the lead for good with five runs in the top of the fourth inning. Brandon Stein reached on error and raced home on Howell's double, giving the Eagles a 3-2 lead. A single by Walling chased Howell home, making the score 4-2. Sanderson added a base hit and a throwing error on the play allowed Walling to score for a 5-2 Bridgewater lead. Sanderson eventually scored on a passed ball to put the Eagles on top 6-2. Andrew Hacker kept the inning alive with a double and he scored on a Ryan Smith base hit for a 7-2 BC lead.
Bridgewater made it 8-2 with a run in the fifth when Stein led off with a double and scored on a double by Walling.
Two more runs in the sixth pushed the lead to 10-2. Hacker and Smith produced back-to-back singles and both moved up a base on a groundout by Zach Hynes. Stein then delivered a single, scoring both Hacker and Smith.
Claremont pushed across two runs in the bottom of the sixth, but the Eagles answered with a pair of runs in the top of the seventh. Smith singled home one run and another scored on a throwing error, making the score 12-4.
After the Stags added single runs in the seventh and eighth, the Eagles score their final two runs in the top of the ninth. Jonathan Mason belted a solo homer with one out in the ninth, making the score 13-6. Smith and Hynes then singled and Smith scored on a single by Matt Maher to account for the final run.
Henshaw worked seven innings to pick up the win He allowed five runs on eight hits. He struck out three and did not walk a batter.
Smith led the Eagles 18-hit attack with a 4-for-6 day at the plate and two RBIs. Sanderson, Howell, Stein, Hacker and Walling each added two hits. Stein and Walling each finished with two RBIs.
The Eagles, now 10-2, return to action Wednesday with a game at Redlands.