College Softball Finals: Guilford 3 – 4, Bridgewater 4 – 1

BRIDGEWATER, Va.—Guilford College came back after a game one, extra-inning loss to split a Sunday afternoon Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) twinbill over Bridgewater College. The Eagles won game one, 4-3, in eight innings while the Quakers claimed the nightcap, 4-1.

Bridgewater struck first in the first inning of game one when Melanie Lamb connected on a single to right field.

Guilford pitcher Brittany Donathan (Archdale, N.C./Trinity) helped her own cause in the third inning with a double down the left field line, tying the game. Donathan put the Quakers on top in the fifth inning, 2-1, on a fielder’s choice play resulting in an error at second base that scored a run.

Kasey Anderson tied the game again for the Eagles in the bottom of the sixth inning on a first-pitch single to right center field.

Sloane King (Asheboro, N.C./Southwestern Randolph) answered to take the lead for the Quakers, 3-2, in the top of the seventh inning with a solo home run to right field, her first on the season.

Leigh Lam would respond for the Eagles in the next half inning with a RBI double to right center field with two outs. In the eighth inning, Anderson reached on an infield error with one out to claim a 4-3 victory.

Donathan (4-3) took the complete game loss for the Quakers, striking out seven in seven and a third innings. Heather Jenkins (13-6) took the complete game win, throwing eight innings for the Eagles and striking out six.

Rachel Howard put the Quakers on the board first in the second game with a one-out RBI single to left field in the first inning.

Bridgewater answered in the bottom of the third inning when Melanie Lamb hit a two-out RBI single up the middle to tie the game, 1-1.

Game two pitcher Maggie Shaffer helped her own cause in the sixth inning with a RBI double to right center field to reclaim the lead, 2-1. Ashley Boteler extended the lead in the seventh with a two-run home run to center field, her fourth home run of the season.

Shaffer (6-5) earned the complete game win for the Quakers, throwing seven innings and striking out six batters while surrendering just one earned run on four hits. Aven Thomas (6-8) took the complete game loss for the Eagles.

The Quakers finish the 2013 with a 19-19 overall record, 5-15 in ODAC play.