Lynchburg, Va. -- University of Lynchburg baseball split its doubleheader with Bridgewater College Saturday afternoon in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference tournament semifinals with Lynchburg taking Game 1, 14-0 and Bridgewater taking Game 2, 8-5.

The two teams will now play a decisive game three on Sunday, May 16 in which the winner will take on Shenandoah University in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference championship series on May 21 and 22. 

In Game 1, Lynchburg starter Zack Potts went the distance for the Hornets (33-12) as the sophomore held the Bridgewater offense to just three hits on the afternoon and did not allow a walk in his nine frames of work. Potts stuck out eight en route to the complete game shutout and his sixth win of the year.

The Lynchburg offense was on display in the first game as the Hornets gave Potts an early lead to work with. Lynchburg got out to a 2-0 lead in the bottom half of the first on three straight doubles as Garrett Jackson and Kinston Carson doubled to right with Carson's plating Jackson. The very next batter, Avery Neaves doubled home Carson to put the Hornets out in front. 

In the home half of the fourth, PJ Alvanos sent a triple to the right field gap to drive in Gavin Collins and then later scored on a wild pitch. In the fifth, Lynchburg tacked on five more as Neaves drove in two with a double to left and then after Avery Combs drew a walk, Collins plated Neaves and Combs with a two-run triple to right field and later scored on a Holden Fiedler RBI-groundout to put Lynchburg up 9-0. 

The Hornets scored a single run in the sixth on a solo home run from Carson and then another in the seventh on an RBI-groundout from Alvanos. In the eighth, Lynchburg poured it on with three more runs to go up 14-0 and that was more than enough to come away with the Game 1 win. 

In Game 2, Lynchburg served as the visiting team and got on the board in the top of the first after Jackson reached on a Bridgewater miscue and later scored on a passed ball. 

In the third, Jackson scored the Hornets second run after Neaves singled through the left side and then one batter later, Combs plated Carson who reached on a fielder's choice to put Lynchburg up 3-0. In the bottom half of the third, the Eagles (14-14) responded with five runs on three hits, highlighted by a three-run, bases-clearing double by Brandon Hartman. 

Bridgewater scored single runs in the fourth, sixth and seventh innings and entered the top of the ninth with an 8-3 lead after the Lynchburg bullpen held the Eagles scoreless in the eighth. Down by five in the ninth, the Hornets did not go down quietly as they put up two runs on four hits, but it was not enough as Lynchburg stranded two runners to end the game, forcing a game three.

Game 2 starter Brandon Pond was handed the loss as the junior went 5 ⅔ and allowed seven runs, only five earned, on 10 hits and struck out two. Bridgewater starter Hunter Mohr went six innings and allowed three runs, none earned, on six hits to earn the win. William Flanagan recorded a save for the Eagles. 

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--LYN--