GREENSBORO, N.C. – The Guilford College softball team (10-13-1, 0-4 ODAC) kicked off their weekend matinee with a duo of conference clashes against Bridgewater College (18-4, 6-0 ODAC), while Guilford failed to rally a comeback from a three-run deficit in the opener, falling 5-2, and seeing the same story off dominant Eagle-pitching, falling in the rubber-match 10-3 on Saturday afternoon at Haworth Field.
 
Mazie Fisher (Virginia Beach, Va.) logged her first collegiate start for the Quakers in the circle, tossing 2.2 innings, dropping three runs, two earned off five hits. Fisher's mediocre start unfortunately landed her the loss, dropping her record to 0-1 overall. Emma Parnell (Troy, N.C.) did not fare much better coming in relief for Guilford, pitching 4.1 frames, giving up two runs, one earned off five hits, two walks, and striking out two.
 
Mackenzie Cauthorn experienced bumps in the road; however overcame for Bridgewater in the circle, pitching all 7.0 innings, surrendering two earned runs on eight hits, four walks, striking out four for the victory to advance to 9-2 on the year.
 
Chloee Stoner (Salisbury, N.C.) and Janey Galek (Charlotte, N.C.) each led Guilford at the plate, both slashing 2-for-3, with Stoner recording a walk and a double. Stoner currently sits at 98 hits in her collegiate career, two away from 100 total in her time at Guilford. Kaylyn Little (Locust, N.C.) launched a solo homerun in the sixth, while batting 1-for-3 at the dish with one run and one RBI.
 
Caroline Mallandra displayed perfection at the dish for Bridgewater, bashing 4-for-4 with two runs, one RBI, two doubles, and one stolen base. Aniella Baldwin would follow suit for the Eagles with a 2-for-3 showing with one run, two RBIs, and a swiped bag.
 
Dillon Northen (Kernersville, N.C.) could not gain ground for the Quakers in her game two start in the circle, throwing 3.2 innings, dropping four runs, two earned, off eight hits, striking out one for the loss to fall to 4-1 on the season. Abbey Whelan (Gaithersburg, Md.) appeared in relief but could not produce for Guilford, pitching 2.1 innings, surrendering five earned runs off four hits, one walk, and striking out two batters. Micah Wilson (Asheboro, N.C.) closed things out for the Quakers in a solid 1.0 frame, only giving up one earned run off two hits.
 
Evelyn Rhoads matched Cauthorn's stellarness in the circle for Bridgewater, pitching a complete 7.0 innings, allowing three runs, two earned off eight hits, striking out two for the victory, advancing to 8-1 overall.
 
Kalissa Williams (Roanoke Rapids, N.C.) and Kaylyn Little (Locust, N.C.) each topped the Quakers at the plate, hitting 2-for-3 with Williams sending in two runs batted in for Guilford from her two doubles in the rubber match. Brooke Goyings (Lake Villa, Ill.) was solid for the Quakers, bashing 1-for-3 with two runs and a stolen base.
 
Caroline Malandra dominated in Bridgewater's scoring opportunities, hitting 3-for-5 with two runs, two RBIs, two doubles, and one stolen base. Olivia Eastlake launched a three-run home run in the process of batting 2-for-2 with one run and three RBIs throughout her appearances for the Eagles. McKenna Mueller showed command while batting 2-for-4 for Bridgewater with one run, two RBIs, and one swiped bag.
 
GAME 1     
Bridgewater held strong off an early pitcher's duel with McKenna Mueller driving in a single into center, sending home two Eagles baserunners to extend Bridgewater's lead 3-0 in the third. Aniella Baldwin cashed in for the Eagles in the fourth, with an RBI single down the left field line to extend the Eagles' lead 4-0.
 
The Quakers-bats would get hot at the right time as Keiya Bullock (Peletier, N.C.) exposed Bridgewater defensively off a bunt single to the pitcher, scoring Nicole Gumula (Wellington, Fla.) to cut Guilford's deficit to three. Caroline Malandra matched the scoring with an RBI single down the line in the sixth, extending the Eagles' lead 5-1. Kaylyn Little (Locust, N.C.) blasted a long home run into center in the latter half of the sixth, cutting the Quakers' deficit back to three. Unfortunately, this would not be enough for Guilford to overcome, resulting in a 5-2 decision in favor of Bridgewater.
 
GAME 2
Guilford failed to get anything going offensively as Lexi Schaaf sent a double into center field, adding to Bridgewater's early 3-0 lead. Caroline Malandra bashed a single through the left side, closing in on an early 4-0 shutout for the Eagles through four innings. However, Kalissa Williams (Roanoke Rapids, N.C.) had other ideas with her RBI double into center field, cashing in Guilford's first runs of the contest.
 
McKenna Mueller commenced Bridgewater's offensive explosion, sending in two more Bridgewater runs off her single into center. Olivia Eastlake added on to that total with a three-run homer, putting this game out of reach for Guilford, 9-1, in the sixth. Kalissa Williams (Roanoke Rapids, N.C.) and Nicole Drew (Raleigh, N.C.) each launched RBI-base hits of their own in the closing moments of the rubber match that was put on ice off Bridgewater's power at the plate, concluding game two with a 10-3 Eagles victory.
 
Guilford's homestand continues with a quick turnaround, battling against conference foe Shenandoah University on Sunday, March 29th, at Haworth Field. The first pitch of game one is slated for 1:00 PM, with game two at 3:00 PM.
 
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