LYNCHBURG, Va. – Lynchburg College’s Lauren Smith tallied four RBI as Guilford College dropped a Wednesday afternoon Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) doubleheader to Lynchburg. The Hornets claimed game one, 3-2, and the nightcap, 10-3.
The Quakers (15-6, 0-2 ODAC) enjoyed a 1-0 lead for most of the first game after Makayla Carver’s sacrifice fly drove home game one starting pitcher Courtney Lackey. Lackey only allowed two base-runners in the first three innings as she opened the contest with two strikeouts in the first inning. The Quakers bolstered their lead in the top of the sixth stanza on a Katy Holt two-out RBI-double to left-center field for the Quakers’ second double of the inning.
The Hornets (17-5, 2-0 ODAC) responded with a three-run rally, all with one out in the next half-inning, sparked by a Kayla St. John single. Shelby Helms started a Guilford rally in the top of the seventh inning with a pinch-hit single, but the Hornets regained control to take game one.
Makayla Crawford responded to a Lynchburg four-run rally to start the second contest with a one-out single in the top of the third inning. Kayli Blankenship cut the deficit further one inning later with a sacrifice fly to record the first out of the inning. Crawford added another RBI in the top of the fifth inning with a solo home run to lead off the inning to put the Quakers within one run.
Lynchburg countered with the game’s final six runs, including a Mackenzie Chitwood home run to lead off the inning. The Hornets posted a five-run sixth inning where four of the five runs came with two outs.
Caroline Barnette led the Quakers with a four-for-five afternoon including a double. She posted one of Guilford’s two multi-hit efforts in game two as Crawford posted a three-for-three effort.
Sarah Commons led the Hornets at the plate, batting four-for-seven including a three-for-four game one. Smith hit three-for-four with a double to add to her four RBI.
Lackey struck out three in five and one-third inning start in game one, giving up only six hits. Rebekah Langston (2-1) took the loss, throwing the final two-third innings. Makayla Carver (3-2) took the game two loss in a three-inning effort where she struck out one and walked three.
Taylor Mabry (7-0) took the game one win for Lynchburg in a four-inning relief effort where she gave up one run on four hits. She also claimed the game two win in a two-inning relief stint.
The Quakers continue their road trip Saturday, traveling to Shenandoah University for a noon ODAC doubleheader.