Softball | 3/22/2015 4:50:00 PM

Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 BRIDGEWATER, Va. – The Methodist softball team proved it can win games in a variety of ways on Sunday, grabbing an extra-innings 7-5 win over host Bridgewater College in the first game before run-ruling the Eagles, 10-1, in game two. The wins improve Methodist to 10-10 on the year while Bridgewater drops to 5-9.
 
Game 1 – MU 7, BC 5 (9 INN)
 
In the first game of the day, the Monarchs rallied from behind, scoring four runs in the sixth and seventh innings to knot up the score at 4-4 and force extra innings.  
 
The Eagles took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning on an RBI single by Amanda Lutz that scored Jen Balcom, who led off with a double to left field. Balcom registered an RBI of her own in the second, pushing BC ahead, 2-0.

To take a 4-0 advantage over MU, Bridgewater scored two in the fifth, this time off a triple by Lutz, driving home Balcom and Rayann Foltz, who both reached on singles.
 
Methodist cut the deficit to two in the top of the sixth.  Sarah Stapleton led off with a walk, and a single by Kelsey Harrington pushed her to second. A ground out by Allyson Aycock advanced the runners, but it was a single to center field by Brittany Miller that scored the two, putting the scoreboard at 4-2 in Bridgewater's favor.
 
The Green and Gold struck again in the seventh, recording two runs off an RBI single by Lindsay Tippett and a run-scoring ground out by Ally Griffin.
 
After a scoreless eighth inning, the Monarchs took the lead in the top of the ninth, tallying three runs for a 7-4 advantage. A double to center by Tippett scored both Nicole Heinrich and Stapleton, and an RBI single by Griffin scored Tippett.
 
Bridgewater attempted to rally in the bottom of the frame, but ultimately fell short, scoring just one run on a single by Hannah Nyquist.
 
Tippett finished game one 2-for-4 with two RBI and two runs scored while Harrington went 3-for-5 with a run scored. Miller and Griffin registered two RBI apiece and Stapleton chipped in two runs scored.
 
Starting pitcher for MU, Christine Bowman (1-1), grabbed the win, tossing for 4.0 innings and allowing four runs (3 ER) on six hits with four strikeouts.
 
Balcom was 2-for-5 with an RBI and two runs scored and Lutz finished 2-for-4 with three RBI.
 
Amber Wood took the loss for BC, seeing the mound for 2.1 innings and giving up five runs (4 ER) on six hits.
 
Game 2 – MU 10, BC 1
 
A five-run first inning was more than enough to propel the Monarchs over the Eagles in the nightcap, finishing with a final score of 10-1 in five innings.
 
The aforementioned heavy scoring first inning started with a single by Stapleton, who then stole second, and Tippett's third home run of the weekend brought her home for an early 2-0 lead. A double by Harrington and back-to-back walks by Griffin and Miller loaded the bases, and a single by Alanna Anderson scored Harrington. After throwing Griffin out at home, a walk by Kristen Bailly loaded the bases once more, and another walk by Morgan Faircloth forced Miller home. A single by Stapleton put the Monarchs up 5-0, as Anderson scored.
 
MU tacked on two more in the second on RBI singles by Griffin and Anderson, and one more in the third when Heather Williams flied out to left field, scoring Stapleton, who led off with a triple to left field and pushing MU ahead, 8-0.
 
The Eagles recorded their lone run in the bottom of the third on a homerun by Brooke Throckmorton.
 
An RBI double by Tippett and a run-scoring line out by Harrington in the fifth gave the Monarchs a 10-1 lead, and served as the last runs scored of the game.
 
In the nightcap, Stapleton and Anderson were both perfect, going 4-for-4 and 3-for-3, respectively, with Stapleton adding an RBI and three scored runs and Anderson registering two RBI. Tippett finished 3-for-4 with three RBI and two runs scored.
 
Emily Hester (2-2) gave up just five hits and one run in all 5.0 innings on the mound, striking out two.
 
Foltz went 2-for-2 for the Eagles, and Throckmorton was 1-for-2.
 
Lutz (1-4) was saddled with the loss, pitching 0.1 innings and allowing five runs on four hits with two walks.
 
Methodist travels to Ashland, Va. on Wednesday for a doubleheader against Randolph Macon College, with the first pitch scheduled for 3:00 p.m.
 
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