Posted: Mar 27, 2012
Bridgewater's Curt Kendall tied former Ferrum College coach Abe Naff for the most victories by a Division III head coach in state history as the Eagles won game one, 9-2. The win gave the ODAC Baseball coaching legend win #612.
In the opener, the Eagles took the lead with three runs in the second and led the rest of the way. Bridgewater added five more runs in the bottom of the eighth to pull away in the seven-run victory.
Roanoke took the early lead in its first at bat, scoring two runs off BC starter Kevin Chandler. With two outs, a double by Matt Wallman plated the first run while Ben Amos scored off an infield error to give the Maroons the early advantage.
The Eagles answered with three in the bottom of the second to take the lead. Zach Hynes belted a two-RBI triple and eventually scored on a sacrifice fly by Darren Yoder to give the home team the lead for good.
Jonathan Mason belted a solo homer in the fourth to make it 4-2 and the Eagles put the game away with five more runs in the eighth. Bryan Sanderson delivered the key blow in the eighth with a three-RBI double with bases loaded.
Chandler worked seven innings to pick up the win to improve to 5-0 on the season. Chandler allowed seven hits while striking out six and walking three. Dillon Via pitched two hitless innings to record his first save of the season.
Mark Wimmer (2-5) took the loss for the Maroons, going seven complete innings with a season-best eight strikeouts and six runs allowed. Amos, Wallman and Bradley Mattox collected two hits each for Roanoke.
In the twin bill, Michael Haslam silenced the Bridgewater with a complete-game effort. Haslam allowed just two runs on six hits with three strikeouts in the 7-2 victory to salvage the split.
Roanoke scored in the top of the first on a run-scoring single by Mark Manthe.
The score remained 1-0 until the sixth when the Maroons took advantage of an infield error and two walks to take a 3-0 lead. Wallman drove home one run with an infield single and Jacob Clifton plated a run with a sacrifice fly.
An infield error gave the Maroons an extra out in the seventh and Manthe made BC pay with an opposite-field, two-run homer, making the score 5-0.
Mason ended Haslam's shutout bid with a solo homer in the bottom of the seventh.
Manthe led the Roanoke batters with a 3-for-5 performance with three RBI and two runs. Amos went 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI while Brian Kluge scored a season-best three times.
Robert Gallet (3-1) took his first loss of the season for Bridgewater. He worked seven innings and allowed five runs, just two earned, on six hits. He struck out six and walked three.
The men return to action Tuesday evening, March 27 as they host Bluefield College in non-conference action. First pitch is scheduled for 7 p.m. at Kiwanis Field.
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