College Softball Finals – Guilford 7–8, Shenandoah 0–0 (Game two in six innings)

WINCHESTER, Va. – Guilford College’s Courtney Lackey threw a complete-game shutout in game one while Makayla Carver shutout Shenandoah University in game two as the Quakers claimed a Saturday afternoon Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) contest over Shenandoah. The Quakers claimed game one, 7-0, and the nightcap, 8-0, in a six-inning contest.

Makayla Crawford kicked off Guilford’s three-run rally to open the contest, posting one of two extra-base hits that drove in a run in the first inning, tripling to right field. Lackey helped her own cause, capping the rally with a two-out double to left field. Katy Holt’s two-RBI, two-out double in the top of the fourth inning came after Guilford drew a stolen base and a walk to move runners around the base paths.

Lackey faced her stiffest competition in the bottom of the sixth inning after leading off the inning with a hit-by-pitch. She shrugged off the hit batsman as the Quakers forced outs on two consecutive fielder’s choice situations, keeping Shenandoah off second base.

Taylor Boyd added insurance in the top of the seventh frame on a one-out single after the Quakers reached on an error to begin the inning. The insurance bolstered Lackey, who faced two hits in the bottom half of the inning, but struck out Megan Wilk for the final out to confirm the win.

Carver helped her own cause to post the Quakers first run in the top of the third inning of game two with a one-out double to left-center field to put the Quakers on the board. Kayli Blankenship bolstered a three-run rally in the fourth frame for the Quakers on a two-out single. Blankenship and Taylor Boyd posted the final run of the inning on a double steal as Boyd came across home plate.

After Sabrina Moreno walked to lead off the top of the fifth frame, Shelby Helms posted a two-out double to left field to extend the lead. Moreno capped the rally for the Quakers with two outs in the top of the sixth inning with a triple to right-center field, clearing the bases.

Anna Wolfe hit four-for-four with one RBI to lead the Quakers in game one while Katy Holt finished two-for-three. Blankenship posted a two-for-three effort with two stolen bases in game two. Darby Kozan and Helms added two hits a piece in game two to represent the remaining Quakers’ bats with multiple hits in game two. Moreno posted a three-for-seven doubleheader with three RBI.

Lackey (8-3) claimed the game one complete-game win for the Quakers, allowing only five base runners while striking out three. Carver (4-2) took the game two win, striking out one and walked two in a three-hit complete-game effort.

Katherine Seidl (3-5) took the game one loss for Shenandoah in a five-inning effort where she struck out four and walked one while giving up five runs on nine hits. Carrie Robinson (2-1) took the game two loss, walking five in a five and two-third innings effort.

The Quakers finish up their month-long road swing tomorrow, traveling to Eastern Mennonite University for a 12:30 p.m. ODAC doubleheader.