SWEET BRIAR, Va. - Guilford's softball team traveled to Sweet Briar, Va. for a Saturday afternoon conference doubleheader, facing the Vixens. In their third to last game day of the regular season, the Quakers came away winning one, 5-1, but fell in the second contest, 1-4.
This split win brings the Quakers to a record of 16-20, overall 8-10 in conference play. For the Vixens, their record stands at 11-22, and in conference play, 4-16.
Shiloh Gray (Lexington, N.C.) on the mound in game one, with an impressive performance throughout, her pitching record advances to 8-5. Throwing for all seven innings, upon three hits, just one run was recorded.
Not only good with the mitt, but also the bat, Guilford's offense tallied seven hits in game one, two of which were struck by Gray. With five runs recorded,
Grace Calus (Creedmoor, N.C.) is credited with two.
Three pitchers in the game for game two, first starting off with
Taylor Mitchell (St. Albans, Vt.), marking her second appearance as a starter. Throwing for 3.1 innings, she allowed four hits and one walk, but no runs were recorded. Into the game next was
Morgan Kinney (Browns Summit, N.C.). Within one inning, the Vixens tallied two on the board, both earned runs. Kinney takes the pitching loss, her record drops to 6-8. Lastly, Gray was put in the diamond once more in game two for just 1.2 innings. Nevertheless, two runs were recorded on her account, making the final score 4-1.
Upon three hits, Guilford's offense recorded just one run by
Kaci Johnson (Winterville, N.C.). The rest of the game was slow paced, the Quakers getting on the bus home, with a 4-1 upset.
GAME 1
The Vixens started the first inning, getting on the board with one run. Not until the third frame, did the Quakers pick up some momentum. As the play unfolded,
Chloee Stoner (Salisbury, N.C.) stood at third and
Kassidy Lancos (Irvine, Calif.) at second. Up next, Gray singled towards right field, en route to both Stoner and Lancos making it home, a double RBI. The Quakers took the lead, 2-1.
Next up in the fourth inning, the Quakers tallied on another run. Johnson started it off with a walk.
Nicole Gumula (Wellington, Fla.) went in to pinch run for Johnson, then stole second, and advanced to third on a flyout by
Alli Clemens (Cocoa, Fla.). Finally,
Faith Fennell (Buena Park, Calif.) grounded out to the Vixen's third baseman, bringing home Gumula, 3-1.
The star of the fifth inning was Calus, starting her at bat with a single to center field, then stole second. Gray batting next, she reaches first on an error by the shortstop. Thus, Calus passes third and makes it all the way home, due to that error, her run becomes unearned, 4-1.
The sixth frame went scoreless throughout for both squads. With Sweet Briar now trailing quite a bit, Guilford tags on one more in the top of the seventh. Another run credited to Calus, she begins her quest by reaching on a fielder's choice and stealing second. Gray up to bat, singles to left field, resulting in a bit of deja vu as Calus again surpasses third base and runs home. This was the final score of the game, making it final, the Quakers win 5-1.
GAME 2
The second game began scoreless for the first four innings. However, the fifth frame started off with a bang as Johnson whacked the ball out of Sweet Briar Softball Field, her second homer of the season. The team erupts in cheers for the time being, not knowing what was to come.
The rest of the contest did not go as planned, in fact, almost the complete opposite of the first match. In the bottom of the fifth, Sweet Briar tagged on two runs and claimed the lead. Again, in the sixth inning, the Vixens snag another two runs, increasing their margin, 4-1. The Quakers unable to make a comeback in their last attempt at bat, the game ends halfway through the seventh with an upset.
The Quakers return to Haworth Field for their final home doubleheader of the season to face conference foe Eastern Mennonite University. The games are to take place on Wednesday, April 24, with start times at 2 and 4 p.m.
