Guilford College Baseball Finals – Hampden-Sydney 2-5, Guilford 0-4

Hampden-Sydney, Va. (3-22-08) – Todd Harrell’s RBI single in the ninth gave host Hampden-Sydney College a 5-4 win in the second game of the Tigers’ sweep of Guilford College in Saturday’s Old Dominion Athletic Conference doubleheader. Daniel Hadra tossed a complete-game two-hitter in Hampden-Sydney’s 2-0 opening-game win.

Guilford (12-13, 2-6 ODAC) took a 4-3 lead into the bottom of the ninth of the second game, but Alan Appling drew a leadoff walk from Guilford pitcher Paul Keenan (2-3). Nick Price bunted him to second base and Alnor Rodriguez drove him home with a triple. Daniel Venezuela ran for Rodriguez and scored the winning run on Harrell’s first hit of the game. The Tigers improved to 10-16, 4-5 in the league.

With three extra-base hits, including a home run, Rodriguez was a single shy of hitting for the cycle and finished with two RBIs. Daniel Prieto also had two RBIs, along with two hits. Zach Harrelson had two hits and a stolen base. Bryan Breedlove improved to 2-4 with four scoreless innings in relief of starter Robbie Bailey.

Guilford’s Phil Drew went four-for-four with a double. David Helms belted his third home run of the season to lead off the third inning.

In the first game, the Quakers had no answer for Hadra, who fanned eight in the seven-inning win. Drew and Joe John had two-out doubles in the third and fifth innings for Guilford, but no other baserunners. The loss ended Guilford’s four-game winning streak.

Hampden-Sydney scored both runs in the second inning on an RBI groundout by Appling and a two-out, RBI-single by Rodriguez. Guilford’s Ryan Hairston (4-4) yielded one earned run in the loss.

Game 1
Hampden-Sydney 2, Guilford 0 (Mar 22, 2008 at Hampden-Sydney, Va.) (Game 1)
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Guilford………… 000 000 0 – 0 2 0 (12-12, 2-5 ODAC)
Hampden-Sydney…… 020 000 X – 2 6 0 (9-16, 3-5 ODAC)
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Pitchers: Guilford – Ryan Hairston. Hampden-Sydney – Hadra.
Win-Hadra(3-3) Loss-Ryan Hairston(4-4) T-1:27 A-122
Game notes: Daniel Hadra yielded only 2-out doubles to Phil Drew and Joe John as the Tigers ended GC’s 4-game winning streak with this Old Dominion Athletic Conference win. Alan Appling had an RBI groundout and Alnor Rodriguez hit a 2-out RBI single in the 2nd. The Quakers didn’t advance a runner past 2nd.
Game: GCB-24

Game 2
Hampden-Sydney 5, Guilford 4 (Mar 22, 2008 at Hampden-Sydney, Va.) (Game 2)
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Guilford………… 002 002 000 – 4 9 2 (12-13, 2-6 ODAC)
Hampden-Sydney…… 010 001 102 – 5 8 2 (10-16, 4-5 ODAC)
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Pitchers: Guilford – Drew Gurkin; Reid MacLean(8); Paul Keenan(9). Hampden-Sydney – Bailey; Breedlove(6).
Win-Breedlove(2-4) Loss-Paul Keenan(2-3) T-2:21 A-119
HR GC – David Helms (3).
HR HSC – Rodriguez.
Game notes: Todd Harrell’s walkoff single in the 9th capped HSC’s comeback and gave the Tigers a sweep of the Old Dominion Athletic Conference twinbill. Alnor Rodriguez’s RBI triple scored Alan Appling, who led off the 9th with a walk GC’s David Helms led off the 3rd inning with his 3rd HR of the year. Bailey faced 2 batters in the 6th.
Game: GCB-25