Softball Finals – Guilford 19-16, Sweet Briar 0-1

GREENSBORO, N.C. – Jessica Burcham (Lexington, N.C./South Davidson) fanned all but two batters in the first perfect game in Guilford College softball history, a 19-0 five-inning win over Sweet Briar College Sunday. The Quakers (22-12, 8-8 Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC)) captured the nightcap, 16-1, also in five innings, to win for the ninth time in 10 outings.

Sunday’s games marked the Quakers’ second annual Score for the Cure contests. Guilford wore pink T-shirts as part of its uniform and raised funds for cancer research based on the number of runs scored in both games.

Burcham (12-4) tossed her second career no-hitter and matched her own school records for wins (12) and shutouts (5) in a season. She struck out the first five batters before pitcher Anna Newberg (0-8) grounded out to second base. Burcham struck out six more in a row before Jordan Pugh hit a comebacker to the circle leading off the fifth. Burcham fanned the next three batters to secure the perfect game.

Julie Langseth belted a first-inning grand slam, capping the Quakers’ five-run frame. She finished with five runs batted in (RBI), as did teammates Courtney Kozar and Morgan Andrews. Andrews, Ami Hutcherson (Staley, N.C./Eastern Randolph) and Kimberly Keys all had three hits for Guilford.

In game two, Guilford took advantage of four first-inning errors by Sweet Briar (0-16, 0-14 ODAC) and scored 13 times in the frame. The Quakers sent 23 batters to the plate, including Keys, who had three of her four hits in the inning. Hutcherson had three of her four RBI in the first inning and finished with three hits and four RBI. Sarah Cutright also had three hits, as did rookie Cynthia Hayes, who belted her school-record tying fourth triple of the season. Emily Willis (1-0) picked up her first pitching victory.

Pugh had two of the Vixens’ seven hits and starting pitcher Christen Campbell (0-5) broke up the shutout with a two-out RBI double in the fifth inning.

Guilford hosts Averett University Wednesday (4/13) at 3:00 p.m. in a nonconference doubleheader.


Guilford 19, Sweet Briar 0 (Apr 10, 2011 at Greensboro, NC) (Game 1)
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Sweet Briar......... 000 00 -  0  0  2      (0-15, 0-13 ODAC)
Guilford............ 594 1X - 19 18  0      (21-12, 7-8 ODAC)
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Pitchers: Sweet Briar - Anna Newberg and Christen Campbell. Guilford - Jessica Burcham and
Morgan Andrews; Ashley Stacy.
Win-Jessica Burcham(12-4)  Loss-Anna Newberg(0-8)  T-1:05  A-80
HR GC - Julie Langseth.
Weather: Sunny, 69
Game notes:
Old Dominion Athletic Conference game
Game: GCS-33

Guilford 16, Sweet Briar 1 (Apr 10, 2011 at Greensboro, NC) (Game 2)
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Sweet Briar......... 0   00 01 -  1  7  4      (0-16, 0-14 ODAC)
Guilford............ (13)00 3X - 16 17  1      (22-12, 8-8 ODAC)
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Pitchers: Sweet Briar - Christen Campbell; Jordan Pugh(1) and Nikki Thompson. Guilford -
Emily Willis and Sarah Cutright; Addie Chaney.
Win-Emily Willis(1-0)  Loss-Christen Campbell(0-5)  T-1:20  A-80
Weather: Sunny, 69
Game notes:
Old Dominion Athletic Conference game
Game: GCS-34