BRIDGEWATER, Va. -- Hitting stopped for the Virginia Wesleyan College Marlins when they needed it the most against the Bridgewater College Eagles.

VWC hit consistently through six innings and trailed the Eagles just 8-7 in the second game of an Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) doubleheader.  But, the hitting halted abruptly in the Marlins' last three innings at bat as VWC could not muster the hits to overtake the lead. 

Bridgewater (9-3, 3-1 ODAC) held on for the close win to wrap up a sweep as the Eagles posted a 5-1 decision in the first game.

Virginia Wesleyan (3-10, 0-4 ODAC) outhit the host team 20-16 overall in the two games, helped by a 13-8 advantage in the second contest.  The Marlins produced five hits in the sixth inning of game two to send in four runs to pull within the 8-7 score. Rookies Taylor Erby (Norfolk/Lake Taylor) andAustin Gammon (North Chesterfield/Lloyd C. Bird) led off the inning with consecutive singles, juniorJordan Miller (Chesapeake/Grassfield) followed with an RBI-double and rookie Ty Boothe (Virginia Beach/Floyd E. Kellam) kept things rolling with an RBI-single.

Bridgewater made a pitching change at that point and slowed down the VWC rally, but not until rookie Justin Erby (Norfolk/Lake Taylor) produced a sacrifice bunt to score another run.  With Kyle Henshaw (New Kent/New Kent) pitching, Bridgewater was able to hold VWC hitless after that to secure the win.

Dillon Via (Crozet/Western Albemarle) took the pitching win, striking out two, but allowing 12 hits and six earned runs.  Henshaw threw in three innings and struck out four, before Corey Armentrouth (Harrisonburg/Broadway) earned the save.  He pitched the last inning and gave up nothing.

Virginia Wesleyan used five pitchers, starting with Sean Greiser (Virginia Beach/Floyd E. Kellam).  He worked two innings, fanned one, walked three and gave up three hits and five earned runs. Rookie Will Hickey (New Hyde Park, N.Y./New Hyde Park Memorial) stayed the longest on the mound for the Marlins, pitching 3.1 innings.  He faced 11 batters and gave up just one walk and one hit.

Junior Zach Bach (Virginia Beach/Frank W. Cox) led VWC h itting with a 3-for-4 showing, driving in two runs.  Senior Brett Sutryk (Bath, N.Y./Haverling) and Miller belted a double each. Taylor Erby and Miller both finished with two hits.

VWC finished with eight hits in the opener, led by rookieC.J. Lindsay (Remington/Bealeton Liberty) with a pair of singles.

Virginia Wesleyan trailed 2-1 after six innings, but Bridgewater pulled away with two runs in the seventh and one in the eight. The Marlins produced hits in the eighth and ninth innings, but not enough to push in front.

Junior Alex Tucci (Stewartstown, Pa./York Catholic) took the loss after eight innings of work.  He struck out six and walked two, while allowing eight hits and three earned runs.  Nick Corbin (Staunton/Buffalo Gap) pitched a complete game for Bridgewater, striking out two, walking three, and giving up seven hits.

Nick Fulk (Fulks Run/Broadway) and Derrik Walling (Saylorsburg, Pa./Pleasant Valley) led BC hitting in the first game with two hits each.  Bryan Sanderson (Lynchburg/Jefferson Forest) and Brendan Howell (Manassas/Osbourn) connected for two hits each in the second game.

Virginia Wesleyan competes again on Tuesday, March 11, hosting Averett University in a non-conference game beginning at 2 p.m.

--AMDG--