GREENSBORO, N.C. – The Guilford baseball team begins its 2021 season on Friday, March 12th when the Quakers take on Shenandoah at 4 p.m. It is the first of two games for the teams this weekend, who will face off Saturday at 12 p.m.
The Quakers, who were 7-8 before the COVID pandemic brought the season to a close in 2020, have nine seniors and six juniors on the 2021 roster.
Head Coach Nick Black returns the top three hitters from a season ago from a team that finished with a .302 cumulative batting average. The best statistical hitter, Isaiah Hairston, returns for the Quakers after hitting .459 in 2020.
Hairston was 17-of-37 from the plate with 12 RBI, 12 runs, four doubles, three home runs and a triple. He finished with a .865 slugging percentage and a .551 on-base percentage. Hairston had four multi-hit performances over the course of the season, including a 4-for-4 outing at William Peace on March 4, helping Guilford earn a 7-1 victory by scoring three runs by virtue of two doubles and a home run.
Logan King returns from a 2020 slate where he posted a .410 batting average after connecting on 16 hits in 39 at bats. King capped off the abbreviated season with the fourth-most hits, but led the way in doubles with five. He was responsible for seven RBI and crossed the plate in 11 occasions while posting a .489 on-base percentage and .538 slugging percentage.
King's best single-game performance in 2020 came against Methodist on February 26th, where he was 3-for-3 with a double and two runs scored.
Austin Bailey also recorded a .400 batting average in 2020, finishing 12-of-30 from the plate with 10 RBI, four doubles and a triple over the course of the slate. He scored eight runs for Guilford and came through with a .600 slugging percentage and .447 on-base percentage.
Bailey emerged with four multi-hit games in 2020, including a pair of three-hit outings against William Peace (March 4) and Piedmont International (March 11). Against Piedmont International, hit last game of the season, he had both a double and a triple for the Quakers.
Right-handed hurler Tanner Hobbs is the top returning pitcher on the Guilford staff, finishing the 2020 slate with 10 K's in 13 innings pitched. Hobbs was 1-0 in four appearances, allowing five runs (five earned runs) and three walks. He claimed his victory against Piedmont International on March 11th, tossing four innings and striking out four hitters along the way.
Shenandoah (3-1) began the 2021 season by splitting with Mount Aloysius on March 6th. The Hornets opened the season with a 6-5 win, but suffered a 6-4 setback in the second game.
Shenandoah took the field on Wednesday, March 10th and completed a doubleheader sweep of Mary Washington by scores of 7-0 and 16-2. The Hornets are led at the plate by the trio of Colby Martin, Kooper Anderson and Austin Partin, who are all hitting .500 on the season.
Martin is tied alongside Frankie Ritter for most hits on the team (six), recording a double and a triple in his first four games. He has also contributed three runs and come through with four RBI. Ritter leads the team in most runs (six) and RBI (five).
Three Shenandoah pitchers have at least one win, including Michael Prosperi, Tristan Everett and Matt House. The Hornets staff has a combined ERA of 1.93 in its first four contests, striking out 22 opposing hitters.
For more information on Guilford baseball check out www.guilfordquakers.com.
