College Softball Final – Guilford 8 – 9, William Peace 5 – 7

GREENSBORO, N.C. – Marty Wilcox homered twice on the afternoon as Guilford College garned a gritty Saturday afternoon twinbill sweep over William Peace University in near freezing temperatures. Guilford took the first game, 8-5, while winning the nightcap, 9-7, in a contest that finished after five innings due to darkness.

Game one featured a combined 15 walks between both teams in a contest that lasted two hours, 42 minutes. The Quakers (3-1) jumped to a 7-2 lead, but William Peace (1-2-1) rallied in the last two innings to score three runs before being retired. The Quakers leaped to a 9-0 lead after two innings in the second contest, but William Peace mustered a two-run rally in the fourth and a five-run rally in the fifth that forced the re-entry of game two starting pitcher Casey Snead to collect the final out.

Wilcox finished the afternoon 3-for-4 with two home runs and six RBI. Wilcox was one of three Quakers to hit home runs in the first game, with her game one homer driving in two runs. Wilcox connected again in the Quakers’ six-run rally in the second frame of game two with a three-run homer.

Rachel Howard finished 2-for-4 with three RBI over both contests, including the Quakers’ third home run of game one in the bottom of the sixth inning, a solo home run.

Caroline Barnette collected the Quakers’ second home run in game one, finishing 2-for-6 with two RBI. Laura Hall finished 3-for-7 with two RBI while Snead drove in three runs in game two, two on a first-inning triple to cap the Quakers’ opening rally.

Morgan Bryant led the Pacers at the plate, driving in five runs over the doubleheader while batting 3-for-6 with two doubles. Lindsey Wiggins drove in three RBI on the just one hit, a double, to pace William Peace in their second-game rally.

Maggie Shaffer (1-1) collected the game one win for the Quakers, throwing six innings, giving up two earned runs on three hits, striking out four, and walking eight. Snead threw the final inning of game one, giving up two runs on three hits. Snead collected the game two win, throwing two and two-thirds innings, giving up just two hits while striking out one and walking three. Tyler Miles (Burlington, N.C./Western Alamance/Mars Hill) threw two and one-third innings of relief, giving up seven runs on seven hits, fanning one, and collecting a key inning-ending double play in the top of the third inning with the bases loaded.

Morgan Farmer (1-1) took the game one loss for William Peace, giving up eight runs on nine hits while fanning five and walking six. Heather Dindinger (0-1) threw two innings and gave up nine runs on eight hits. Lauren Martin threw the final two innings, giving up just one hit.

The Quakers are scheduled to host Averett University tomorrow afternoon in a doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m., weather pending.