For immediate release—4/19/2014 - #330
Hornets Force Must-Win Game with DH Split of Bridgewater

BRIDGEWATER, VA—The Lynchburg College baseball team kept its postseason hopes alive with an Old Dominion Athletic Conference doubleheader split with Bridgewater College. The Hornets won game one 4-3 before falling 5-2 in the second matchup.

The Hornets entered Saturday's doubleheader with Bridgewater College needing to win two of their final three games to make the ODAC tournament, set to begin on Thursday.

Lynchburg jumped out to a quick start in the first game against Bridgewater starter Corey Armentrout. The junior worked out of trouble in the first couple innings, surrendering one run despite allowing five hits.

The Hornets were forced to strand runners on the corners in the first inning before taking the lead in the second as Pat Harris and Wil Parsons led off with back to back singles. A sacrifice bunt moved both runners up where Harris could score on a sacrifice fly by KC Caldwell.

Lynchburg added a second run in the fifth when Caldwell led off with a single and moved to second on a balk. A groundout moved Caldwell to third where another sacrifice fly, this time by Joe Rogers, plated a 2-0 lead for the Hornets.

Brandon Miller was solid for the Hornets, throwing a no-hitter through four frames. Brendan Howell spoiled the bid to lead off the bottom of the fifth, blasted a 3-1 fastball over the right field wall. Zach Hynes then worked the count in his favor against Miller before doubling down the right field line. Darren Yoder tied the game with a sacrifice fly that scored Hynes.

Both teams exchanged runs in the sixth inning as Wil Parsons and Justin Petock had RBI singles. It would be the ninth inning before the Hornets broke the tie.

Caldwell reached base with two outs and immediately stole second. That aggressive move was enough for the freshman to race home on a single by Lincoln Evans.

Miller (8-4) went the distance in game one, striking out four and walking two while working around seven hits.

Dillon Via (1-2) surrendered one unearned run in three innings of relief for Bridgewater.

Lynchburg struck first in game two as Rogers and Dustin Arrowood singled before a wild pitch scored Rogers from third.

The Eagles took their first lead of the day in the bottom of the frame as Howell doubled home Nick Fulk and Petock.

Bridgewater tacked on single runs in the fourth and the fifth to take a 4-1 lead before the Hornets made one final push in the eighth inning.

Parsons and Andrew Gauvain singled with one out in the eighth and, similar to the first inning, Parsons raced home on a wild pitch. Ryan Leake worked out of the jam to pick up the save for Bridgewater (26-11/13-7).

Evans and Parsons each had a pair of hits for Lynchburg in game two. Michael Day gave up two runs, one earned, in four innings of relief while striking out two.

Robert Gallet struck out nine Hornets without issuing a walk in 7 2/3 innings. He gave up two earned runs on 10 hits.

Lynchburg (22-11/9-10) faces a must-win game against Roanoke College (16-17/7-12) Sunday at 3 p.m. If the Hornets pick up the win on Senior Day, they will clinch a spot in the ODAC tournament.