GREENSBORO, N.C. – Ashley Hohenberger’s RBI double in the fifth inning broke a 3-3 tie in visiting Lynchburg College’s 5-3 softball win at Guilford College Sunday. The victory gained a split of Sunday’s Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) twinbill after the Quakers won the opener, 7-5, behind Sarah Cutright’s three hits and two RBI.
The Hornets (17-13, 5-7 ODAC) bounced back from their opening-game setback with an unearned run in the first inning and tacked on two more runs in the second for an early 3-0 lead. Melanie Tenney and Sarah Smith belted back-to-back RBI doubles in the second inning against Guilford starter Ashley Boteler (5-3).
The Quakers (18-12, 4-8 ODAC) tied the game in the third inning on Ami Hutcherson’s RBI double, followed by an RBI hit by Cutright. Lynchburg pitcher Katie Bruce (10-4) shut Guilford down for the rest of the game and allowed just three hits over the remaining four innings.
The Quakers outhit Lynchburg, 11-8, in game two, but the Hornets benefited from three Guilford errors, as well as four walks and two hit batsmen. Rachel Gallagher had two hits for Lynchburg, while Guilford’s Hutcherson and Kimberly Keys shared game-high honors with three hits apiece.
Boteler broke a scoreless tie in game one with a two-out RBI single in the third inning. She also added her team-leading third homer of the season, a solo shot in the sixth inning, which opener a 7-2 Quakers’ edge. Keys and Cynthia Hayes also had two hits in Guilford’s 14-hit effort in support of Jessica Burcham, who improved to 10-4 and struck out five.
Lynchburg’s Gallagher had two hits and plated four runs in the opener. Her two-out, two-run single in the seventh provided the game’s final margin. Burcham ended the contest four batters later by striking out Michaela Munday with the bases loaded.
Guilford visits league-rival Randolph College Saturday (4/9).
Guilford 7, Lynchburg 5 (Apr 03, 2011 at Greensboro, NC) (Game 1) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Lynchburg........... 000 020 3 - 5 7 4 (16-13, 4-9 ODAC) Guilford............ 001 321 X - 7 14 5 (18-11, 4-7 ODAC) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Pitchers: Lynchburg - Caitlin Dolby; Katie Bruce(4) and Michaela Munday. Guilford - Jessica Burcham and Morgan Andrews. Win-Jessica Burcham(10-4) Loss-Caitlin Dolby(6-6) T-2:15 A-110 HR GC - Ashley Boteler (3). Weather: sunny, 68 Game notes: Old Dominion Athletic Conference game Game: GCS-29 Lynchburg 5, Guilford 3 (Apr 03, 2011 at Greensboro, NC) (Game 2) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Lynchburg........... 120 020 0 - 5 8 1 (17-13, 5-7 ODAC) Guilford............ 012 000 0 - 3 11 3 (18-12, 4-8 ODAC) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Pitchers: Lynchburg - Katie Bruce and Michaela Munday. Guilford - Ashley Boteler; Shelby Bowser(5); Jessica Rowland(7) and Morgan Andrews. Win-Katie Bruce(9-4) Loss-Ashley Boteler(5-3) T-2:00 A-110 Weather: Sunny, 69 Game notes: Old Dominion Athletic Conference game Bowser faced 2 batters in the 7th. Game: GCS-30