BRIDGEWATER, Va. – Averett University baseball lost a decisive Game 3 against Bridgewater College on Saturday.
Averett (20-17, 12-13 ODAC) came up just short against Bridgewater (27-13-1, 16-7-1 ODAC) as the Eagles advanced to play in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference's championship weekend.
Freshman
Preston Corbitt started the game for Averett and delivered a gutsy two innings of work in his first career start. Corbitt worked through two innings giving up just one run, punching out two Eagles' batters in doing so. The lefty kept the Cougars in striking distance while the veteran lineup worked to crack Bridgewater's starter.
Averett's first offensive success came in the top of the third. The Cougars tied the game up thanks to expert baserunning from senior
Kevin Zischke. Zischke singled to reach first, and bounded like a derby horse as the left handed right fielder swiped second base. Zischke's steal paid dividends immediately, as the senior came around to score the tying run on an error committed by Bridgewater.
Senior
Nathan Comer took the mound next for Averett, no doubt demanding the ball from coach
Kenny Fleming just as he had in Averett's late-season triumph over Ferrum. Comer pitched two innings, allowing one run, to keep Averett in contention for the win.
The Cougars hit their way into a lead in the top of the fourth. Junior
J.C. Barry, a Texas native as any Averett home supporter surely knows, singled to kick off the Cougars attack. Sophomore
Drew Skinner singled into right center to put runners on the corners for Averett with one out in the inning. Senior
Nick Romano executed a lost art sort of play to score Barry, as the second baseman laid down a safety squeeze bunt to bring Averett ahead 2-1. Bridgewater scored in the bottom of the inning, and after four turns at the plate for each side, the score remained level.
Averett scored for the third inning in a row in the top of the fifth. Graduate student
Nolan Maccabe stepped into the batters box with two outs and delivered a double to move into scoring position. Maccabe's two-base hit brought redshirt sophomore
Trevor Testerman to center stage with a chance to drive in a run. Testerman delivered with a single through the left side that set Maccabe on a mad dash for home plate, the graduate student's speed on full display as the Cougars once again took the lead, 3-2.
Bridgewater found its stride after a couple quiet innings of work from senior
Cole McLain. The Eagles' strung together hits on their way to a four run performance in the bottom of the seventh inning. T home team tacked on one more insurance run in the eighth, ultimately closing out the game with a 7-3 advantage.
The 2025 season is now officially in the rear-view for the Cougars, but what a season it has been. Averett reached highs that many would not have imagined, as the team predicted second to last in the ODAC shocked everyone on the way to a sixth-place finish in the conference. Everyone, except those in the dugout, who have contributed to the growth of this program for years leading to this weekend's series. Averett baseball will now turn its attention to the offseason, as the Cougars rest, reset, and most importantly reload, in preparation for the 2026 season.
