Bridgewater to Face Huntingdon in Elimination Game on Friday
MILLINGTON, Tenn. --- Bridgewater College jumped out to an early lead with a six-run third inning and then held off a late Methodist rally to stay alive in the South Region tournament with a 10-7 victory Thursday at USA Stadium.
Methodist struck first in its first at bat. Chris Power walked to lead off and Cody Molosky reached on catcher's interference. The runners moved up on a sacrifice bunt and Power scored on a groundout by Brandon Thigpen for the game's first run.
Thigpen ran into control issues in the third and the Eagles took advantage. The Methodist lefty walked the bases full with one out and Bryan Sanderson put the Eagles on top when he lined a single off Thigpen's leg, scoring two runners for a 2-1.
Andrew Hacker greeted reliever Mikie Morrison with a single to right, scoring Derrik Walling to make the score 3-1. Christian Armstrong plated a run with a groundout before Jonathan Masonbelted a two-run homer to right, making the score 6-1.
The Eagles tacked on another run in the fourth. Tyler Hoffman led off with a single through the right side and Darren Yoder followed with a bunt single. The runners moved up on Nick Fulk's sacrifice bunt and Hoffman scored on Walling's groundout to make the score 7-1.
Methodist nicked Armentrout for a pair of runs in the fourth. Thigpen and Tyler Younger singled with one out and a walk to Stephen Nalls loaded the sacks. Thigpen scored on a sacrifice fly by Travis Johnson to make it 7-2. Younger then scored on Ronnie Hatfield's infield single between the plate and the mound to pull the Monarchs closer at 7-3.
Methodist inched closer in the seventh. Singles by Hatfield and Alex Rodriguez put runners on the corners with one out. Chris Power then lined a run-scoring single to right center, making the score 7-4. Power's hit ended the day for Armentrout and brought Nick Corbin out of the bullpen.
Corbin retired the first batter he faced before a single by Steven Kirby scored two runs to make it a one-run game, 7-6.
Bridgewater answered the Monarch's three-run seventh with three runs in the top of the eighth.
Armstrong and Mason singled to open the eighth and both moved up on a sacrifice bunt byZach Hynes. The Monarchs intentionally walked pinch-hitter Brendan Howell to load the bases. Yoder then cleared the bases with a double into the left-field corner to pad the lead to 10-6.
The Monarchs would not go down easily as they fought back again in the bottom of the eighth. Pinch-hitter David Lutz singled home a run to make it 10-7, but Corbin retired the next two hitters on a soft liner to short and a strikeout to avoid further damage.
Kyle Henshaw came in to pitch the ninth and gave up a one-out single to Molosky. Kirby then reached on an infield error, but Molosky made a big turn at second and was caught in a rundown for the second out of the inning. Henshaw walked Thigpen to bring the tying run to the plate in the person of Younger. Nick Fulk then made a diving catch of Younger's fly ball just inside the left field line near the Eagles bullpen for the final out of the game.
Hacker led Bridgewater's 11-hit attack with three hits while Mason and Yoder each finished with two hits. Armentrout picked up his seventh win of the season while Henshaw recorded the save.
The Eagles will be back in action Friday at 3:30 p.m. against the Huntingdon Hawks in an elimination game.
--- This release is courtesy of the Bridgewater College sports information department. ---
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