SWEET BRIAR, Va. – Guilford College softball team (8-9-1, 0-2 ODAC) traveled on the road for their Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) opener against Sweet Briar College (9-9, 2-2 ODAC), struggling to find their footing in both battles, dropping the early clash, 4-0 after a pitchers duel ensued between both squads, while fumbling runs from pitching miscues in the rubber match to the Vixens, in a 12-4 defeat through five innings on Saturday afternoon at Sweet Briar Softball Field.
Abbey Whelan (Gaithersburg, Md.) drew the start for Guilford and had a solid display, throwing 5.0 innings, surrendering four earned runs on seven hits, one walk, and striking out seven. Whelan's late miscues in the sixth, putting the Vixens on top, would be her downfall, dropping her record to 2-3 overall.
Dillon Northen (Kernersville, N.C.) entered in relief for the Quakers, trying to salvage a comeback, tossing 1.0 innings, only giving up a walk.
Ambrye Taylor was in the circle for Sweet Briar, notching a complete game shutout to her name in 7.0 innings pitched, only allowing four hits while striking out five for the victory to advance to 6-2 on the season.
The Quaker-bats grew dormant throughout most of the contest, failing to cash in on any runs scored against Sweet Briar.
Janey Galek (Charlotte, N.C.) kicked off Guilford's production, bashing 1-for-3 with a stolen base on the early matinee.
Savannah Newton (Concord, N.C.) and
Kalissa Williams (Roanoke Rapids, N.C.) would each match that stat line, slashing 1-for-3 in game one, with Newton logging a steal to her name.
Sophia Peterson dominated at the dish for the Vixens, batting 2-for-3 with one run scored and two runs batted in. Ambrye Taylor would follow suit, slashing 1-for-3 with one run and one RBI.
Shiloh Gray (Lexington, N.C.) received the nod for the Quakers in the circle, unable to record an out in 0.0 innings of work, dropping six earned runs on five hits and one walk for the loss to fall to 3-3 on the year.
Kalissa Williams (Roanoke Rapids, N.C.) would appear in relief for Guilford, not faring much better in 1.2 frames, giving up two earned runs on five hits and one walk.
Micah Wilson (Asheboro, N.C.) would follow suit out of the bullpen for the Quakers with 1.1 innings of work, dropping four runs, three earned, off four hits and two walks.
Emma Parnell (Troy, N.C.) finished things off for Guilford, throwing 1.0 inning, only surrendering one walk with one strikeout.
Abi Sawyers tossed a complete game in 5.0 innings of work for Sweet Briar, giving up four earned runs off ten hits, two walks, and striking out five in the process.
Kaylyn Little (Locust, N.C.) created many scoring opportunities for Guilford in her 2-for-3 showing.
Shiloh Gray (Lexington, N.C.) continued delivering at the dish with a 1-for-1 display with two walks.
Chloee Stoner (Salisbury, N.C.) kept the Quakers in the running with a 1-for-3 performance with one run batted in.
Annie Purvis ranked out ahead of Vixens batters with a 3-for-4 performance with one run and four RBIs. Abi Sawyers would follow suit with a 2-for-4 slash line, with two runs, three RBIs, and one stolen base. Jordan Dorrier continued Sweet Briar's success, bashing 2-for-4 with two runs scored and two runs batted in.
GAME 1
The clash would commence with a pitchers' duel through five full frames, with
Abbey Whelan (Gaithersburg, Md.) dominating in the circle to keep the Quakers in the game. Ambrye Taylor's outing for Sweet Briar would become a like, matching Whelan's command in the circle heading into the top of the sixth
However, the Vixens would pounce first with a Sophia Peterson double into center, scoring two in the process. Taylor would follow suit with an RBI double of her own, with Jordan Dorrier scoring one off a sac groundout, putting this game on ice for a 4-0 result, in favor of Sweet Briar.
GAME 2
After a six-run first inning,
Nicole Drew (Raleigh, N.C.) would get Guilford on the board with an RBI single in the second. Sweet Briar would match Guilford's command in the second with RBI singles by Annie Purvis and Jordan Martin to increase the Quakers' deficit early on in the clash.
Chloee Stoner (Salisbury, N.C.) would send one Guilford runner home on a sac-groundout in the top of the third, shrinking the Vixens lead, 8-2.
Janey Galek (Charlotte, N.C.) launched a single into center to score one.
Shiloh Gray (Lexington, N.C.) advanced one base to send home another Quaker-runner off a wild pitch, cutting Guilford's deficit by five, 9-4 through four innings. However, the Quakers could not overcome their deficit from the Vixens bats exploding late in the concluding matchup, resulting in a 12-4 Sweet Briar victory.
The Quakers return for a long stretch of home action at Haworth Field, first being a pair of battles against the Spirits of Salem College on Sunday, March 22nd. First pitch of game one is set for 12:00 PM, while game two will commence at 2:00 PM.
#GoQuakes
