College Softball Finals – Guilford 10-9, Averett 5-2

DANVILLE, Va. – Guilford College banged out 34 hits and the Quakers’ Kimberly Keys (Laurinburg, N.C./Richmond Senior) became the school’s career hits leader in a record-setting softball sweep of host Averett University Sunday.

Guilford (5-1) sent 14 runners to the plate in its eight-run the second inning that featured nine of the Quakers’ 19 hits. Sophomore Ashley Boteler (Manassas, Va./Osbourn) had a two-run single in the frame, part of her three-for-five showing with three RBI. Classmate Cynthia Hayes (Seagrove, N.C./Southwestern Randolph) added a two-run double in the inning. Senior Morgan Andrews (Pittsboro, N.C./Chatham Central) had two of her school-record tying five hits (all singles) and an RBI in the frame.

Senior Jessica Burcham (Lexington, N.C./South Davidson) (3-1) benefited from the hit parade and picked up the complete-game victory.

Chrissy Pickert (Belmont, N.C.) and Emily Dunford (Richmond, Va.) both had two hits for Averett (2-6). Starting pitcher Amy Hamlett (Chase City, Va.) (0-3) yielded nine hits in 3.2 innings.

Keys, a senior outfielder who had three hits in the opener, tied the Kelly Guarnieri’s ’09 career hits mark with a two-run single in Guilford’s decisive six-run third inning of the nightcap. Trailing 2-0 after two innings, the Quakers had nine straight batters reached in the inning before Averett recorded an out. Shelby Bowser (Winston-Salem, N.C./Ledford) also had a two-run single in the inning.

Keys broke the standard in the sixth inning with a single down the left-field line, her 167th career hit. She also registered the 103rd and 104th RBIs of her career, matching Kelly Hale’s ’09 school standard.

Keys was one of six Quakers with two or more hits in the game and one of four with two RBI. Rookie Rachel Howard (Efland, N.C./Cedar Ridge) had a game-high three hits, including a double, and two RBI.

Boteler, who pitched and also had two hits, improved to 2-0 with a complete-game seven-hitter.

Averett’s Jenna Rudder (Danville, Va.) had two hits, including a seventh-inning triple. Rookie Leah Powell (Midlothian, Va.) (2-1) gave up 11 hits and nine runs (7 earned) in four innings.

Guilford hosts North Carolina Wesleyan College Wednesday (2/29) at 2:00 p.m.

Guilford – 10
Averett – 5
(Feb 26, 2012 at Danville, VA) (Game 1)

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   Guilford............ 008 011 0 - 10 19  2      (4-1)
   Averett............. 003 001 1 -  5 10  1      (2-5)
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Pitchers: Guilford – Jessica Burcham and Morgan Andrews. Averett – HAMLETT; MITRO(4); MAHAFFEY(5) and ATKINSON.
Win-Jessica Burcham(3-1) Loss-HAMLETT(0-3) T-2:08 A-133
Weather: sunny, 50, breezy
Game notes:
Nonconference game
HAMLETT faced 6 batters in the 3rd.
MITRO faced 1 batter in the 4th.

Guilford – 9
Averett – 2
(Feb 26, 2012 at Danville, VA) (Game 2)

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   Guilford............ 006 000 3 -  9 15  0      (5-1)
   Averett............. 110 000 0 -  2  7  3      (2-6)
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Pitchers: Guilford – Ashley Boteler and Morgan Andrews. Averett – POWELL; HAMLETT(5) and ATKINSON.
Win-Ashley Boteler(2-0) Loss-POWELL(2-1) T-2:00 A-133
Weather: 48, sunny, breezy
Game notes:
Nonconference game
POWELL faced 8 batters in the 3rd.
HAMLETT faced 2 batters in the 6th.
Game: GCS-06