BRIDGEWATER, Va. (BC Athletics) – Mackenzie Cauthorn struck out a program-high 15 batters in game one as Bridgewater College softball swept EMU on Tuesday.
Game 1
Score: Bridgewater 4, EMU 0
Records: Bridgewater 20-7 (7-2 ODAC), EMU 5-18 (1-8 ODAC)
How It Happened
• EMU opened the contest with a single to left center field, but a trio of strikeouts from Cauthorn shut down the Royals as she started her historic afternoon. Malandra opened the top of the first with a four-pitch walk and swiped second, but she was left stranded.
• The Royals looked to pounce again in the second frame as a pair of hits and a BC error put a pair of runners on second and third with no outs. Cauthorn induced a pop-up, but EMU looked to put on a squeeze play. The bunt came right back to Cauthorn, and she flipped it to Skyler Buzbee to get the lead runner and keep the game scoreless.
• After two more punchouts, BC went to work in the bottom of the third. Malandra and Aniella Baldwin drew walks to open the frame, and McKenna Mueller launched a no-doubter to left field to clear the bases with a three-run home run.
• BC added to the lead after more Cauthorn strikeouts in the circle. Andrea Savage led off the bottom of the fourth with a single, and her pinch runner, Saraha Kate Tozier, moved to third. Baldwin followed with a double to drive her in and make it 4-0 for the Eagles. EMU loaded the bases in the top of the fifth in response with no outs. The next EMU hitter popped up to Savage, and Cauthorn followed with two more strikeouts to add to the tally and keep EMU at bay.
• Cauthorn added two strikeouts in the top of the sixth to reach a dozen on the day, and touched rare air in the seventh. The senior struck out the first hitter of the frame, swinging to tie the program record, and passed it two hitters later. She added one more for good measure as she sat down the final batter, looking for her 15th strikeout of the afternoon.
Match Notes,
• Cauthorn (11-3) tossed her 34th complete game as she set the program’s single-game record with 15 strikeouts. The senior struck out exactly half of the batters she faced. Baldwin and Mueller each tallied a pair of hits in the win to lead the offense.
• Lambert (0-3) took the loss for EMU as she tossed the full contest. Judd had a pair of hits as three different Royals had three strikeouts.
Game 2
Score: Bridgewater 8, EMU 3
Records: Bridgewater 21-7 (8-2 ODAC), EMU 5-19 (1-9 ODAC)
How It Happened
• EMU went down in order in the top of the first, and BC struck first in response. Mueller singled with two outs, and Olivia Eastlake followed with a ball in play. The Royals could not make the play in right-center field as the ball hit the deck and extended the frame. Mueller scored easily to give BC a 1-0 lead early.
• Both teams stranded runners in the second stanza, and EMU struck back in the third. The Royals singled to open the frame, and a bunt moved the runner into scoring position. Another base knock followed to move the lead runner to third. EMU laid down a bunt, and it worked perfectly as the runner scored to tie the game at 1-1.
• BC stranded a runner in the bottom of the third, and both teams went down in order in the fourth. BC took the lead back in the home half of the fifth as McKenna Dayton opened the frame with a single. A bunt moved her over and Malandra delivered with a double the opposite way to make it 2-1 as Dayton scored.
• The Royals responded right away as a double opened the top of the sixth, and Dean followed with a two-run blast to left-center field to make it 3-2 for the visitors. Evelyn Rhoads regrouped after that as three-straight punchouts ended the frame.
• Bridgewater wasted no time in the bottom of the sixth in response. Mueller opened the frame with a single back, where it came from. Branch followed an out later with a base knock, but a mishap by the Royals while fielding the hit led to the tying run sliding in safely. BC moved the go-ahead run to third after a wild pitch, and Dayton delivered again with a double to give BC the lead. The Eagles weren’t done there as Savage singled to drive in Dayton. Byrum followed with a single, and Malandra blew the game open as she homered to dead center field with a three-run blast. EMU got out of the jam, but BC now had a massive 8-3 lead. Rhoads regrouped and induced three-straight groundouts to secure the win.
Match Notes,
• Rhoads (9-2) picked up the win in the circle as she struck out eight in the advertised distance. Malandra paced the offense as she drove in four runs and went 3-for-4 at the dish.
• Lane (1-7) took the loss for EMU as she gave up six earned runs. Judd was the only Royal with multiple hits in game two.
Up Next
Bridgewater is back in action on Saturday against Randolph. That is Senior Day for the program’s 11 graduating members.
— BC Athletics —
