College Softball Finals: Guilford 2-3, N.C. Wesleyan 3-1

ROCKY MOUNT, Va. – Ashley Boteler pitched a complete-game one-hitter in game two as Guilford College overcame extra-inning heartbreak in game one to claim a split of a Wednesday afternoon doubleheader against North Carolina Wesleyan College. The Battling Bishops claimed game one, 3-2, in eight innings while the Quakers claimed the nightcap, 3-1.

Guilford’s offense in game one came in the top of the third inning when Marty Wilcox and game one starting pitcher Casey Snead drove in a run a piece on back-to-back at-bats with two outs. Tiffany Manning tied the game with a RBI-double in the bottom of the fourth frame. After the Jasmine Edgren retired the side in the top of the eighth inning, the Battling Bishops game one starting pitcher connected on a RBI-single to left center with two outs to claim the game one win.

The Quakers (13-7, 1-1 ODAC) shut down the Battling Bishop bats in the second contest of the afternoon, with the lone N.C. Wesleyan (6-10) run coming across home plate in the bottom of the fourth inning during the middle of a wild double play where a throwing error elongated the action long enough to plate the Bishops’ only run before the double play was completed to retire the Battling Bishops. Guilford used a two-run rally in the top of the fifth inning to create distance from N.C. Wesleyan with both runs coming with two outs in the frame.

Boteler (2-0) led Guilford’s hurlers with a complete-game one-hit effort, fanning one and walking three. The redshirt-senior only had to face 25 batters in the contest. Casey Snead (2-2) took the loss in game two in spite of a complete-game seven and two-thirds innings where she struck out four and walked four.

Edgren (5-2) claimed the complete-game win for N.C. Wesleyan giving up two unearned runs on 10 hits while fanning and walking two. Tori Paul (0-2) took the game two loss, giving up three runs (one unearned) on 10 hits while walking two in five innings. Logan Lowry struck out two and gave up just one hit in two relief innings.

Taylor Boyd led Quaker bats on the afternoon, finishing 4-for-7 with one RBI. Rachel Howard collected multiple multi-hit efforts, also finishing the doubleheader 4-for-7. Snead finished 3-for-7 as she was one of three Quakers in game two with a multi-hit effort.

Kendra Hoes led the Battling Bishop bats, finishing the afternoon 3-for-6 while being one of two N.C. Wesleyan players with multiple hits in game one. Hoes represented the lone hit of game two.

The Quakers continue their three-week road swing Saturday, traveling to Shenandoah University for a 1:30 p.m. Old Dominion Athletic Conference doubleheader.