SALEM, Va. – Guilford College’s Makayla Carver tallied four hits with three RBI over the Quakers two friday afternoon Old Dominion Athletic Conference Softball Tournament games at the Moyer Sports Complex. The third-seeded Quakers earned a split of the day’s two games, falling sixth-seeded Roanoke College, 6-3, and eliminating seventh-seeded Eastern Mennonite University, 9-2, in the Quakers’ second contest. The Quakers’ (30-12) victory marks the most victories by a Guilford team in program history.
Roanoke (24-15) jumped to a 5-0 lead in the day’s first contest as the Maroons posted two runs after the second out as part of a three-run second-inning rally.
Caroline Barnette led the Guilford rally in the bottom of the fifth inning, posting Guilford’s third-straight one-out single to drive home the Quakers’ first run on a base hit to right-center field. Shelby Helms continued the Guilford rally one inning later after Carver’s lead-off double. Carver advanced to third on a wild pitch, setting up Helms to drive her home on a single to center field.
Courtney Lackey (11-7) took the complete-game loss for the Quakers, but led the Quakers with their lone multi-hit effort of the contest, batting two-for-three.
Rachel Guilliams led Roanoke at the plate, batting three-for-three, while Teresa Wagner (9-5) claimed the complete-game win, fanning three.
The Quakers bounced back in the elimination contest against Eastern Mennonite (22-16), jumping to a 7-0 lead thanks to a six-run second-inning rally where five of Guilford’s six runs came before the first out. Carver sparked the rally with a bases-clearing double to center field as the Quakers opened the second inning with five-straight hits. The first eight batters of the inning reached first base before the first out. Taylor Boyd capped the rally with a one-out single to left field.
After a Savannah Jones single up the middle put the Royals on the board in the top of the fourth inning, Jordan Starke continued the rally the bottom half of the inning as with a RBI-single to left field as the Quakers’ rallied after posting two quick outs. Kayli Blankenship proved insurance in the bottom of the fifth inning as Carver and Blankenship teamed up with back-to-back extra-base hits. After Carver’s second lead-off double of the game, Blankenship drove her home with a triple to right-center field. The Royals posted two hits in the final two innings, but the Quakers held the Royals to no more than four at-bat per inning as the Quakers advanced to day two of the tournament.
Carver finished the contest three-for-three as Blankenship also posted three hits in a three-for-four afternoon. Boyd and Starke each finished two-for-four to round out Guilford’s multi-hit efforts.
Alexa Sheets posted Eastern Mennonite’s lone multi-hit effort, finishing two-for-three.
Carver (10-3) took the complete-game win for Guilford, striking out two and walking one.
Sydney Reath (11-6) took the loss for the Royals throwing six batters into the second inning before being relieved by Lauren Seale, who struck out one and walked three in five innings.
The Quakers continue in the ODAC Softball Tournament tomorrow, facing fourth-seeded Emory & Henry College for an 11 a.m. elimination contest.