Guilford College Baseball Finals – Guilford 3-6, Emory & Henry 2-5

Greensboro, N.C. (3-15-08) – Guilford College twice rallied to sweep an Old Dominion Athletic Conference double-header from visiting Emory & Henry College Saturday afternoon at McBane Field.

In the opener, Jason Flud’s (Jacksonville, N.C./White Oak (Pfeiffer)) bases-loaded walk scored Alex Starbuck (Kernersville, N.C./E. Forsyth) in the ninth inning to give Guilford the win. Starbuck, who led off the inning with a triple, also hit a solo homer in the third inning, which tied the score at 2-2. Guilford sophomore Ryan Hairston (Clarksville, Va./Bluestone (Danville (C.C.)) fanned a career-high nine for the Quakers in his team-leading third complete game of the year. Starbuck finished with a game-high three hits and was a double shy of hitting for the cycle.

Seth Hyder had two of Emory & Henry’s five hits in game one.

In the nightcap, Emory & Henry’s Eric McDaniel carried a 5-0 lead into the ninth inning and recorded two outs in the frame before the Quakers completed an improbable rally. With Brad Buchman (Indian Shores, Fla./Tampa Prep (Lenoir-Rhyne)) on first with a one-out walk, Joe John (Raleigh, N.C./Millbrook) beat out an infield hit with two away to keep the game alive. After Flud walked to load the bases, David Helms (Wilson, N.C./Fike (Pitt C.C.)) singled up the middle off McDaniel, which scored Buchman and John. Flud and Helms moved up a base on a throwing error by Hyder from center field. The runners advanced another base after reliever Josh Rigney uncorked a wild pitch in his second pitch to Drew Ward (Wilkesboro, N.C./West Wilkes). Ward doubled down the left field line, scoring Helms and drawing Guilford to within 5-4. Mike Braverman (Ann Arbor, Mich./Chestnut Hill Academy (Pa.)) replaced Ward on second and scored on pinch-hitter Jared Davis’ (Asheboro, N.C./Eastern Randolph) game-tying single up the middle. Pinch-runner Jordan Nelson (Hudson, N.C./West Caldwell) replaced Davis and scored the winning run after Starbuck’s long single to the fence in right field.

The late-game heroics made a winner of Guilford reliever Paul Keenan (Attleboro, Mass./Bishop Feehan). He fanned both batters he faced in the top of the ninth inning. Drew Gurkin (Youngsville, N.C./Chatham (Va.) (Danville C.C.)) fanned six in 4.2 innings of relief.

Hyder had another multi-hit game and also drove in two runs. Nick Windom had a two-run single in the ninth for the Wasps. Derek Joyner hit his first homer of the season, a solo shot, in the Wasps’ fifth inning.

Guilford returns to action Sunday (3/16) against visiting Purchase College at 3:00 p.m.

Game 1
Guilford 3, Emory & Henry 2 (Mar 15, 2008 at Greensboro, N.C.) (Game 1)
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Emory & Henry……. 200 000 000 – 2 5 1 (5-14, 0-5 ODAC)
Guilford………… 101 000 001 – 3 9 2 (9-11, 1-4 ODAC)
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Pitchers: Emory & Henry – Codie Mitchell. Guilford – Ryan Hairston.
Win-Ryan Hairston(3-3) Loss-Codie Mitchell(1-3) T-2:09 A-50
HR GC – Alex Starbuck (2).

Game 2
Guilford 6, Emory & Henry 5 (Mar 15, 2008 at Greensboro, N.C.) (Game 2)
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Emory & Henry……. 010 110 002 – 5 9 2 (5-15, 0-6 ODAC)
Guilford………… 000 000 006 – 6 7 3 (10-11, 2-4 ODAC)
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Pitchers: Emory & Henry – Eric McDaniel; Josh Rigney(9). Guilford – Josh Lane; Drew Gurkin(4); Paul Keenan(9).
Win-Paul Keenan(2-2) Loss-Josh Rigney(0-1) T-2:19 A-50
HR EHC – Derek Joyner (1).

Rigney faced 3 batters in the 9th.