GREENSBORO, N.C. – It was a classic midweek contest at Edgar H. McBane Field between the Guilford College baseball team (5-3, 0-0 ODAC) and Southern Virginia University (1-6, 0-0 USA South), one that featured 11 pitchers, 31 baserunners, and in the end, a nonconference win for the home team, 7-6 on Tuesday afternoon.

Stratton Barwick (Siler City, N.C.) cruised through the opening three frames but hit trouble in the fourth, completing that inning but that was all. He finished with a line of four runs, all earned, on four hits, a walk, and a hit batsman, striking out two over 4.0 innings in the no decision. The Knights' opener did not even last as long as Barwick, as Camden Brogdon got touched up in the first, completing just 2.0 innings allowing three runs, all earned, on five hits and a hit batsman, fanning one, but his offense got him off the hook, too.

Instead, this became a game of the bullpens with each squad's initial reliever factoring into the decision. Izaac McGuire (Wilkesboro, N.C.) picked up his first win since 2022 for GC, improving to 1-0 after navigating a pair of hits in a scoreless fifth. After two strong frames, Thomas Bradley could not get an out in the fifth, finishing 2.0-plus of one-hit baseball, albeit with three walks and a HBP resulting in three runs in a loss to fall to 0-1. Braden Bradford (Jamestown, N.C.) allowed a solo home run, but maintained the lead in the ninth to finish his second save.

It was another strong showing from Skyler Dark (Pleasant Garden, N.C.) who scored all-three times he reached on a 2-for-4 day with a walk. Rylan Smith (Archdale, N.C.) drew a free pass to go with a couple of hits, including a double, scoring once and driving in one and Chris Shoemaker (Winston-Salem, N.C.) had an RBI and a run scored while reaching safely via a base on balls, an HBP, and a knock. The unsung hero was CJ Buchan (Williamsburg, Va.) in this one, though, as he had a couple of hits including the two-run go-ahead single for GC.

SVU's two-through-four batters, Seth Lloyd, Zack Geertsen, and Garrett Stauffer all had a pair of hits, though the rest of lineup compiled just four more combined. Geertsen homered and scored on one other occasion while Ryan Farris also hit a two-run shot for the guests.

The Quaker offense jumped all over Brogdon in this one. Trae Pitts (Land O' Lakes, Fla.) set the tone bunting for a hit before stealing second and scoring on a Cole Price (Summerfield, N.C.) double. Dark put runners on the corners with a single to right and advanced on a dirt-ball read putting two in scoring position. Shoemaker brought in a run by just kind of squibbing a grounder towards the 5-6 hole, that the Knights had some miscommunication on, allowing the ball to slip between them. Caleb Coggins (Trinity, N.C.) brought in another on a fielders choice as the Quakers seized a swift 3-0 lead.

Guilford could not build on that momentum in the ensuing few innings then the Knights figured out Barwick in the fourth. The lefty bailed out the leadoff batter, Geertsen, by hitting him with a pitch in a 1-2 count. Stauffer singled prior to a productive out and a steal, putting two in scoring position with one out. A passed ball brought in a run, and placed another 90 feet away, with it coming in on a sacrifice fly, but all that was just the appetizer, as Ben Agnew doubled inside first and Ferris took a 1-1 pitch over the Greensboro Monster in left, thrusting the guests in front, 4-3.

Retaking the lead for good in the fifth, the Quakers immediately loaded the bases on a Dark walk, Smith single, and Shoemaker HBP. A pitching change for SVU brought Max Ursenbach on and he got a strikeout for the first out, but Buchan flipped the lead with a two-run single then Hayden Sekanick (Tampa, Fla.) added another on a knock of his own as GC retook the lead, 6-4.

The squads traded single runs in the bottom of the sixth and top of the seventh on a Smith RBI-double and a Stauffer single, but things settled from there. Reilan Vickrey (Greensboro, N.C.) allowed two on with one out in the eighth but escaped the jam, then Bradford allowed a solo shot to Geertsen, but locked down the 7-6 win.

Quakers are back at McBane Field tomorrow afternoon, Wednesday, February 25^th, playing host to Pfeiffer University at 2:00 PM.

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