Two wins away from reaching the ODAC Championship game, the Eastern Mennonite softball team locked up with rival Bridgewater in a losers' bracket game Friday afternoon in Salem, Va. In their regular season meeting, EMU swept a thrilling doubleheader from the Eagles. But in this meeting, a lengthy mid-game rain delay hampered both teams and the Lady Royals couldn't cash in on their chances in a 3-1 loss.

The women had at least one runner on in each of the first three innings, including a leadoff double from Jessica Sullivan (Midlothian, Va./Manchester) in the second. But the Lady Royals left four runners on base over the stretch as the game was tied 0-0.

Bridgewater pieced together a few hits in the fourth and a two-out single brought in the game's first runs as the Eagles went up 2-0. After a nearly three-hour rain delay in the middle of the rally, BC got an RBI double to extend the lead to 3-0.

Eastern Mennonite went down in order for the first time in the fourth, but Sara Jenkins (Stanley, Va./Page County) continued her hot play by leading off the bottom of the fifth with a walk. After a sacrifice, Brooke Hensley (Elkton, Va./Spotswood) shot a two-out single to center, plating the women's first run to make it 3-1.

Molly Smith (Elkton, Va./Spotswood) led off the sixth with a single and Courtney Allman (Weyers Cave, Va./Fort Defiance) reached on an error. But a fielder's choice and back-to-back strikeouts ended the chance as the women left two on base.

The Lady Royals again started strong in their final at-bat, as Megan Viafora (Stanley, Va./Page County) led off with a single and Jessica Blosser (Crimora, Va./Wilson Memorial) reached on an error.

But Hensley lined into a double play and Lisa Lee (Buckingham, Va./Buckingham County) grounded out to end the game, a 3-1 defeat which eliminated Eastern Mennonite.

Bridgewater out-hit the women 10-6 to end their season. The Lady Royals, who hit a program-record 39 homeruns in 36 regular season games, were held without a longball in four games at the tournament. EMU left eight runners on base against the Eagles.

Smith led the team with a pair of singles and walk. Sullivan, Lee and Viafora each had hits while Hensley provided the women's only RBI with her single.

Lee and Smith split duties on the mound, with Smith starting and lasting 3-2/3 innings. She gave up eight hits and was charged with all three runs and the loss. Lee threw the final 3-1/3, allowing just two hits.

Eastern Mennonite closes at 27-13, going 2-2 as the top seed in the ODAC Tournament. Both Sullivan and Viafora were named to the All-Tournament Team after Saturday's championship game.