LYNCHBURG, Va. - Bridgewater College is the lone undefeated team left at the ODAC Baseball tournament after the Eagles put away Randolph-Macon College, 6-2, Saturday in a battle of undefeated teams.
Once again, pitching made the difference for the Eagles as senior Joseph Lucas turned in the third straight quality for Bridgewater in this year's tournament.
Lucas pitched a complete-game six-hitter and allowed just the two earned runs. He struck out seven and did not walk a batter.
In three games, Bridgewater's starters - Corey Armentrout, Robert Gallet and Lucas - have combined to pitch 24 innings and have allowed just five earned runs and 17 hits. The trio has combined for 21 strikeouts and just one walk.
Bridgewater head coach Curt Kendall probably felt pretty good when he handed Lucas the ball for Saturday's start. The crafty lefty has pitched well during his career at tournament time and Saturday was no different.
The complete game was third for Lucas in ODAC tournament play and in six appearances - five starts - he has a 3-1 record. Lucas has now pitched 43 innings at tournament time and has allowed just 32 hits and 13 earned runs for a 2.72 ERA. He has struck out 21 and walked just six.
The Eagles gave Lucas an early lead with a run in the third. Christian Armstrong doubled with one out and Nick Fulk followed with a run-scoring single to put Bridgewater on the board.
The Yellow Jackets tied the score in the top of the fifth on Michael Kroll's RBI-single, but the Eagles regained the lead in the bottom half of the inning.
Armstrong led off the fifth with an opposite-field double and moved to third on Fulk's bunt single. Armstrong scored on Bryan Sanderson's sacrifice fly, putting the Eagles back on top 2-1.
Bridgewater gave Lucas all the insurance runs he would need with four runs in the bottom of the sixth. Derrik Walling led off with a single, stole second and moved to third on a base hit by Ryan Smith. With runners at the corners, Brendan Howell belted a two-run double to give the Eagles a 4-1 lead. Bridgewater wasn't finished as Armstrong walked to put runners at first and second with one out. Both baserunners moved up on a sacrifice bunt and both scored on Sanderson's single, making the score 6-1.
Armstrong led the Eagles offense with a 3-for-3 day at the plate and three runs scored. The senior first baseman has been Bridgewater's hottest hitter in the tournament as he is 7-for-9 at the plate in three games.
Fulk, Walling and Smith each contributed a pair of hits to the Eagles' 11-hit attack. Sanderson was 1-for-4 with three RBIs and Howell was 1-for-2 with two runs batted in.
Bridgewater will play for the ODAC title Sunday afternoon against the survivor of Saturday's remaining game. Saturday afternoon, Hampden-Sydney meets Washington and Lee with the winner moving on to play Randolph-Macon in Saturday evening's contest. Saturday's survivor will play the Eagles on Sunday at 1 p.m. If the Eagles lose at 1:00 on Sunday, a deciding game would follow to determine the champion.