College Softball Finals–Guilford 5–11, Greensboro 1–6

GREENSBORO, N.C.–Guilford College’s Maggie Shaffer picked up wins in both contests as the Quakers swept Greensboro College Wednesday afternoon. The Quakers took game one, 5-1, and the nightcap, 11-6.

Shaffer (3-0) threw 12 of 14 innings on the day, surrendering only one earned run on nine hits. Shaffer threw a complete game in game one while relieving game two starter Rebekah Langston in the third inning, claiming her second win on the day.

Greensboro took a early 1-0 lead in game one thanks to a sacrifice fly from Sarah Connolly in the top of the first inning. With runners in scoring position, Shaffer would induce a fly ball to end the inning.

The Quakers would counter in the top of the fourth with a sacrifice fly of their own from Marty Wilcox to tie the game, 1-1. The bulk of the Quakers offense came in the following inning, sparked by a Rachel Howard single to right center field. After Taylor Boyd brought in a run after reaching on a fielding error, Calli Pastor and Shaffer drew back-to-back walks to increase the lead, 5-1.

Both teams would trade rallies early in game two. The Pride started their top-of-the-second inning rally with a RBI-single from Rae Hall and a RBI-walk from Ashlee Miller. Greensboro would score two runs on a fielder’s choice and a passed ball, setting up Jackie Nicholson who would single down the right field line to cap the Greensboro rally.

Steffi Sides would start the Quaker response in the bottom half of the inning with a single to center field. After Brooks Bray (Thomasville, N.C./Ledford) grounded out to drive in a run, Rachel Howard’s single would eventually bring home one more run after a throwing error. Taylor Boyd drove in a run on double and Marty Wilcox added to the rally with a two-RBI single. Pastor would cap the second inning rally, driving in a run after reaching first base on an error.

Howard continued to produce in the bottom of the third inning, drawing a walk to increase the lead, 8-6. Wilcox earned her third and fourth RBI on the day with a double to right center field. Howard would put a cap on the rally with a solo home run to left field, finishing off a rally of eleven unanswered runs.

The Quakers return to action Saturday, traveling to Danville, Va. to face Averett University in a re-scheduled doubleheader at 1:00 p.m.