Hampden-Sydney picked up two big conference victories Saturday as the Tigers swept Bridgewater College, holding off the Eagles 10-9 in the opener and then winning the second game by a score of 8-4.
Neither starter made it through the second inning in the opener as the teams combined to score 13 runs in the first two frames.
Run-scoring singles in the top of the first inning by Tyler Blevins and Devin Daugherty put the visitors on top, but the Eagles evened the score with two runs in the bottom of the first.
A single by Brandon Poole and walks to Austin Batten and Chris King loaded the bases with no outs. After a strikeout, the Eagles scored both runs on a wild pitch. Poole scored from third on the wild pitch and, when the throw from the Tigers’ catcher Daugherty sailed past pitcher Chase Mayberry covering the plate, Batten raced home to tie the score at 2-2.
Hampden-Sydney (17-12, 6-5 in the ODAC) responded with a five-run outburst in the second inning. A single by Joey Sutphin put the Tigers ahead 3-2 and a single by Cody Smith pushed the margin to 4-2. A triple by Brian Goodwyn chased two runners home and Goodwin scampered home on a throwing error on the play to put the visitors ahead 7-2.
Bridgewater (11-18, 4-9 in the ODAC) answered with four runs in the bottom of the second to pull to within a single run. Luke Paczewski was hit by a pitch and Jacob Talley singled to start the inning. Both runners moved up on sacrifice bunt by Garrison Wright. Paczewski scored on a groundout by Poole to make it 7-3. After Batten walked, King followed with a two-run double to trim the deficit to 7-5. King moved to third on a single by Kenner Berry and scored on a single by Jake Bailey to slice the margin to 7-6.
The bullpens silenced the bats until the sixth when the Tigers added two runs. Blake Hartman led off with a single and moved to third on a bunt single by Dustin Wiles. Cody Smith walked to load the bases and a groundout by Goodwyn scored Hartman, making the score 8-6. Blevins followed with a single to right, scoring Wiles to push the Tigers’ lead to 9-6.
Bridgewater tacked on a run in the seventh when Poole led off with a triple and scored on King’s sac fly to make the score 9-7.
The Tigers added what proved to be a crucial insurance run in the top of the ninth when Chris Counts came through with a clutch, two-out, run-scoring double down the left field line, putting the visitors ahead 10-7.
The Eagles made it interesting in the ninth, but came up a run short.
Talley hit the first pitch of the ninth deep over the left field fence and the solo homer pulled the Eagles to within 10-8. Jonathan Triesler retired the next two batters onn strikes before Batten belted a solo homer to make it a one-run game, 10-9. After King kept the Eagles alive with a single, the Tigers summoned closer Michael Flanagan from the pen and he walked Kenner Berry and Bailey to load the bases. Flanagan then struck out Andrew Berry to close out the Tigers’ 10-9 victory.
Triesler pitched seven inning in relief and allowed three runs on four hits to pick up the victory. Triesler struck out 12 and did not walk a batter.
The Eagles finished the contest with nine hits as Poole, King and Talley each contributed a pair of hits.
Wiles led off the second game with a solo homer and the Tigers never trailed.
Bridgewater took advantage of two throwing errors in the third and scored a run on Batten’s sac fly to tie the score, but Hampden-Sydney took control with three runs in the fourth and two more in the fifth.
Blevins walked to lead off the fourth and moved to second on a one-out single by Jacob Fontana. Blevins scored on a single by Counts for a 2-1 Tigers’ lead. Fontana scored on a wild pitch and Counts scored on a sacrifice fly by Andrew Kasiski, making the score 4-1. A two run double in the fifth by Fontana pushed the margin to 6-1.
The Eagles loaded the bases with no outs in the bottom of the sixth, but Tigers’ started Zach Perkins retired the next two batters on strikes. Talley then came through with a two-run single to right to pull the home team to within 6-3.
The Tigers got those runs back in the top of the seventh on a two-run single by Counts, making the score 8-3.
A single by Talley in the eighth drove in a run to cut the deficit t0 8-4, but the Eagles were unable to muster a rally in the ninth as the Tigers completed the sweep.
Talley was 2-for-4 with three RBIs to lead the Eagles in the second game.
Bridgewater returns to action Tuesday when the Eagles travel to Winchester to play Shenandoah. Game time is set for 4:00 p.m.
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