BRIDGEWATER, Va. – Bridgewater Baseball battled conference rival Washington and Lee University on Tuesday, April 21, defeating the Generals 13-3 in seven innings as the Eagles continued their push for a top spot in the conference. 

“We put up eight runs in the third and I think that gave us a chance to take advantage of the runs and put some pressure on them,” Head Coach Ben Spotts said. 

Both teams came out strong defensively, holding each other scoreless through the first two innings. The game shifted in the bottom of the third, when the Eagles erupted for eight runs on five hits and a fielding error. 

The inning featured consistent pressure at the plate, as Bridgewater strung together timely hits and aggressive baserunning while batting through the entire lineup in a single inning. Multiple players contributed to the rally, forcing the Generals into quick defensive decisions that ultimately led to mistakes. 

The Generals responded with runs in the fourth and fifth innings, but the Eagles quickly answered. Following another Washington and Lee error, junior first baseman Chandler Valback launched a two-run home run to extend the lead to 13–2.

“Coach always preaches seeing the ball up, and I saw a curveball up and just put my swing on it,” Valback said about his late game home run. 

The Generals were able to score one more run in the bottom of the seventh but ultimately the Eagles were too much for them. 

Bridgewater pitchers Lucas Cash and Hunter Covill were instrumental in the Eagles’ success. Cash allowed six hits while recording four strikeouts, improving to 9–2 on the season as the starting pitcher. 

Hunter Covill entered to pitch the final two innings, securing the run-rule victory for the Eagles. He allowed just one hit while recording three strikeouts. 

“Our hitters needed to be more patient at times,” Spotts said. “I thought we got a little anxious at times.”

That was echoed by Valback, who said he also felt himself pressing at the plate.

The Eagles, ranked No. 7 nationally, improved to 29–8 overall and 11–7 in conference play with only a  few games before the postseason. 

Spotts said that while the Eagles have put together a strong season, the focus remains on continuing to compete for conference positioning, with each remaining game carrying significant importance. 

The Eagles, currently in third place in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference look to close out their regular season on the road at conference opponent Hampden-Sydney College on Saturday, April 25.