GETTYSBURG, Pa.  – Bridgewater College capitalized on several big plays and a trio of turnovers to hand Gettysburg College a 34-17 setback in a non-conference match up at Shirk Field at Musselman Stadium Saturday afternoon.
 
Despite losing the battle in total offense 276-260, Bridgewater (1-0) turned in a pair of 52-yard plays on offense and scored on a 41-yard pick-six.
 
Making his first start in Orange and Blue, sophomore Mike Welsh (Medford, N.J./Shawnee) completed 15-of-32 passes for 199 yards and two touchdowns. Senior Nick Rella (Denville, N.J./Morristown-Beard) led the rushing attack with 31 yards on nine carries, while senior Johnny Davis (Mahwah, N.J./Mahwah) and freshman Joey Razzano (Dillsburg, Pa./Northern York) each hauled in three passes, the former posting 57 yards and the latter gaining 58 yards.
 
Defensively, junior Cole Keyes (Mount Laurel, N.J./Lenape) paced the Bullets with 11 tackles. Senior linebacker Jake Skinner (Annapolis, Md./Broadneck) racked up eight stops and his first career interception, while classmate Logan Aikey (Lewisburg, Pa./Lewisburg) posted a sack and 2.5 tackles for a loss. Senior Mike McKnight (West Chester, Pa./Bayard Rustin) and sophomore Thomeir Richardson (Trenton, N.J./Trenton Central) each picked off a pass, with the latter adding three pass break-ups.
 
For Bridgewater, Jay Scroggins finished 7-of-18 for 104 yards with three touchdowns and three interceptions. Trey Stephens hauled in a pair of passes for 72 yards and two scores, while tailback Demetrius Jalepes carried the ball 12 times for 79 yards and a TD. Matt Dang, Joe Caron, and Deshomd Denny each posted nine tackles with Dang and Caron also adding interceptions.
 
Gettysburg trailed from the outset as Scroggins found Stephens open downfield for a 52-yard score just over a minute into the contest. The Bridgewater quarterback added another touchdown toss to Chad Jones early in the second quarter for a 13-0 lead.
 
The Bullets were pinned deep inside their own territory for much in the first half, but the momentum shifted a bit in the final minutes before the break. Skinner stepped in front of a pass and despite having it poked away on the return, Gettysburg recovered the loose ball to start its final drive of the half. Nine plays and 66 yards later, Welsh finished off the drive with a 10-yard toss to senior Chase Fee (Spotswood, N.J./Spotswood) to close the gap to 13-7 at the half.
 
Gettysburg's defense was holding strong against Bridgewater early in the third quarter with Richardson accounting for an interception on a heave into the end zone by Scroggins. The Eagles found pay-dirt on the defensive side of the ball as Dang intercepted Welsh's pass and scampered 41 yards into the end zone with 4:51 left in the quarter.
 
Following a 42-yard field goal by junior Justin Geisel (Charlotte, N.C./Charlotte Country Day School), Jalepes found a gap in the middle of the line for a 52-yard run into the end zone to push the lead to 27-10.
 
Gettysburg's longest drive of the game (11 plays, 89 yards) resulted in its final score as Welsh found Razzano from 25 yards out to cut the deficit to 10 with 8:51 to play. Bridgewater provided the final blow with a 20-yard pass from Scroggins to Stephens with just over four minutes remaining.
 
The Bullets open Centennial Conference play at Ursinus College next Saturday, Sept. 8, at 1 p.m.