FERRUM, Va. – Guilford College opened the 2011 softball season Saturday by splitting a nonconference doubleheader at Ferrum College. The Quakers won the opener, 6-1, and the Panthers took the nightcap, 3-1.

Guilford's Courtney Kozar had three hits and teammate Sarah Cutright had two RBI in the opener. The Quakers (1-1) scored three unearned runs thanks to four Ferrum (1-1) errors. The offense supported a solid pitching effort from Jessica Burcham (1-0), who yielded one run and stranded runners on third in four innings. Cynthia Hayes and Ami Hutcherson both had two hits and scored twice.

Four different Panthers had two hits in the opener, including leadoff hitter Karly Thompson, whose RBI double in the fourth scored Ferrum's lone run.

Ferrum starter Rachel Shumaker (1-0) scattered five hits and walked just one in the nightcap. The Panthers scored an unearned run in the third inning on Megan Barger's RBI single. Ferrum added two insurance runs in the fifth on back-to-back two-out doubles by Shelbie Hall and Thompson, followed by Hannah Shumaker's RBI single.

Jessica Rowland (0-1) had two of the Quakers' five hits in her college debut. She gave up eight hits, two earned runs, struck out four and did not walk a batter.

Guilford visits Methodist University Sunday (2/20) in a nonconference doubleheader.