GREENSBORO, N.C. – Trevor Myers (Eastampton, N.J.) launched a ball well over the Greensboro Monster for a grand slam, putting the Guilford College baseball team (6-3, 0-0 ODAC) in front and they never looked back as the offense slugged their way to a 15-5 run-rule victory in eight innings over Pfeiffer University (1-6, 0-0 USA South) at Edgar H. McBane Field on Wednesday afternoon.

Marcello Ricigliano (Kernersville, N.C.) got the midweek start for Guilford and was good, but not great. He ended up plagued by a couple longballs that represented four of the five runs he permitted, but he also only walked one and navigated 10 hits decently over 6.0 innings to pick up the win and move to 3-1.

The Falcons arms struggled all game and it was their starter, Trent Lowe who ended up on the hook for the loss to fall to 0-2. He finished just 3.0 innings allowing five runs, four earned, on seven hits and a walk.

Myers led the run production, scoring twice and driving in a Quakers season-high five runs on a 2-of-4 day with his grand slam and an HBP. Skyler Dark (Pleasant Garden, N.C.) maintained his early-season hot streak with a team season-high 4-for-6 showing including a couple doubles, scoring twice and driving in three. Dawson Kirkland (Clermont, Fla.) and Christian Chinen (Honolulu, Hawaii) each reached four times, Kirkland on three walks and a hit, scoring thrice, and Chinen on three hits, including a double and a walk, driving in two. Dominic Pegues (Raleigh, N.C.) came off the bench, hit a two-run homer, and walked for GC as well.

Levi Barrett paced the Falcon offense with a sacrifice fly and a three-run home run, finishing with four RBIs while Badin Gusa also went deep for the guests though no other Pfeiffer player had an RBI. Christian Bellantoni had two hits and scored twice in the game.

Pfeiffer got on the board almost as quick as they could have as Gusa jumped all over the fourth pitch of the game and tucked it over the wall down the rightfield line for his first home run of the year. They got two more hits after and ended up with two in scoring position, but Ricigliano held firm. In the second, Myers cut down a Falcon trying to steal then the senior right-hander navigated a couple hits in the third before his offense broke through.

Kirkland got wild hop to aid a single past third then Dark got a hit of his own a couple batter later. Rylan Smith (Archdale, N.C.) tucked a double inside first for his second RBI double in as many days to tie the score before Ethan George (Burlington, N.C.) reached on an error by the shortstop to load the bases. All of that ended up as just a prelude as Myers got a 1-1 offering and bashed his fourth home run in just his sixth game of the year, this one a grand slam, to grab a 5-1 lead through three.

After PU got one back on a sacrifice fly in the top of the fourth, the Quaker offense got right back to work. Kirkland drew a walk and eventually came around on Dark two-bagger inside of first. Smith walked and George reached on an error for the second-straight at-bat as the first baseman's feet got tangled when trying to tag the bag. With the bases loaded for the second-straight plate appearance, Myers got nicked on the helmet with a pitch, forcing in a run and forcing a pitching change. Chinen drew ball four on the new Falcon arm, causing another run to cross and while the next two Quakers were retired, they had already staked themselves to an 8-2 lead.

Kirkland came home again in the fifth, this time on a Smith RBI groundout then the guests got back in it with a three-run homer from Barrett. GC responded with a Myers single and a run on a double inside the line in right before Pegues pinch hit and launched a 1-1 pitch well over the scoreboard in left-center for his first collegiate home run and a 12-5 advantage.

John Yarnovich (Summerfield, N.C.) and Johnathan Sendziak (McLeansville, N.C.) allowed runners, but tossed scoreless innings before the Guilford offense closed the door in the eighth. Pegues and Grayson Hobson (Quinton, Va.) walked to open the inning and after a strikeout, Braden Wilkie (Cornelius, N.C.) drew a free pass as well to load the bases. Dark drove in a pair with a single down the rightfield line and after Smith was set down, Taylor Granitzki (Manteo, N.C.) made is collegiate debut and fanned, but the pitch got away on the third strike allowing Granitzki to reach and Wilkie to score as the Quakers "walked off" with the run-rule victory, 15-5.

The Quakers get nearly a full week off before hitting the diamond next when they host Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute at McBane Field on Tuesday, March 3^rd at 2:00 PM.

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