ORLANDO, Fla. – The Bridgewater College baseball team opened its spring break week in Florida with a tough 5-2 loss Monday morning to Thomas More.
The Eagles took the early lead with a run in the top of the second inning. With one out, Ryan Leake tripled and scored on Zach Hynes ground ball for a 1-0 Bridgewater lead.
Thomas More tied the score with a run in bottom of the fifth. Brad Popham led off with a single and moved to second on Tyler Graber's sacrifice bunt. After a walk, Popham scored on an infield error, tying the score at 1-1.
Bridgewater threatened to regain the lead in the sixth when Bryan Sanderson singled and moved to second on a wild pitch. Brendan Howell then singled to right, but Sanderson was thrown out at the plate on the play as the score remained tied at 1-1.
The Eagles were able to regain the lead in the top half of the seventh. Leake and Hynes singled to open the inning and Darren Yoder walked to load the sacks. After a strikeout, Nick Fulk drew a walk to force in a run, giving the Eagles a 2-1 lead. With the bases still loaded, the Saints worked out of the inning without further damage as a strikeout and groundout to shortstop ended the threat.
The Saints broke through in the bottom of the seventh, scoring four runs to take a 5-2 lead. With one out Jason Handley doubled and moved to third on a base hit by Craig Hyson. Handley scored on a groundout by Travis Miller, tying the score at 2-2. Cody Makin struck out for what should have been the third out, but he reached first safely on a wild pitch to prolong the inning. Miller then scored on a base hit by Zach Fardo to put the Saints on top 3-2. Makin scored on a wild pitch and Fardo raced home on a single by Tommy Arzen for a 5-2 Thomas More lead.
Bridgewater threatened in the top of the eighth when Howell and Justin Petock both singled to open the frame, but Thomas More's Andy Roenker retired the next three batters to end the inning.
Sanderson, Howell and Hynes finished the day with two hits each to lead the Eagles offense.
The Eagles, now 9-4 on the season, return to action Tuesday morning with a contest against Rhodes College.