LEXINGTON, Va. – The Washington and Lee baseball team fell short in a Tuesday evening Old Dominion Athletic Conference contest against Bridgewater College, 6-5.
The Generals' (12-9, 6-5 ODAC) bats woke up in the second half of the game where they scored all but one of their runs but came up one run shy to the Eagles (11-14, 4-4 ODAC).
The Eagles went to work early with a three-run first inning. A lead-off single by Jarret Biesecker and a double down the left field line by right fielder Brandan Hartman put two runners in scoring position in the opening frame for Bridgewater. Hunter Clever scored both runners after he reached first on an error and put the Eagles on the board 2-0. Designated hitter Collin Reid scored the final run in the inning for the Eagles after a single to right field brought Clever home. BC added a single run in the second, which W&L was able to match in the bottom of the inning, and then again in the third.
The Generals trailed 5-1 going into the bottom of the fifth inning but were able to close the gap to two runs in the frame. Junior first baseman Drew Larsen (Glen Allen, Va./Deep Run) drove in the second run for the Blue and White after a line drive to center field drove in senior center fielder Mitchell Salvino (Charlotte, N.C./Charlotte Catholic). With the bases loaded, junior Jack Belbot (Baltimore, Md./Loyola Blakefield) walked on four pitches and brought in the final run of the inning, 5-3.
Bridgewater scattered their final three runs in the second, third, and sixth. A two-out single by Brett Tharp extended the lead to four, then in the following inning, Jonathan Sexton doubled down the left field line scoring Clever. W&L tallied single runs in the sixth and eighth but came up just shy of the conference foes.
Junior second baseman Zach Senders (Potomac, Md./Bullis School) had a strong outing at the plate going 3-for-5 with a run and a stolen base. Salvino and first-year right fielder Paul Ramseur (Atlanta, Ga./Pace) both had a multi-hit day. Salvino went 2-for-3 with a stolen base and Ramseur went 2-for-4 with two runs scored.
Bridgewater had four batters end the day with multi-hit performances. Biesecker, Reid, and Isaac Sumpter all went 2-for-4 while Kyle Carlson went 2-for-3 with a run batted in.
For the Eagles, pitcher Nick Griffin (2-2) earned the win after a four-inning start and allowed just one run on four hits. Tharp earned a save by throwing the final two frames with one earned run.
Sophomore pitcher Matt Fleming (Houston, Texas/St. John's School) (2-1) received the loss after three innings pitched. Sophomore reliever Evan Blair (Vienna, Va./James Madison) tossed the last six innings and struck out seven. He allowed just one run on five hits.
The Generals return home this weekend for a Saturday doubleheader against ODAC opponent, Roanoke College. First pitch of game one is slated for noon.
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