Guilford College Softball Finals – Guilford 8-1, #6 Lynchburg 6-13

Lynchburg, Va. – Guilford College upset nationally ranked Lynchburg College and gained a split of the Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) softball doubleheader Sunday. The Quakers (20-17-1, 8-10 ODAC) dealt the Hornets (30-4, 13-1 ODAC) their first league loss of the year with an 8-6 win in the opener. The win marked Guilford’s first over Lynchburg in eight meetings and ended the Hornets’ 13-game winning streak. Lynchburg came back for a 13-1 win in five innings in the nightcap.

The Hornets are ranked sixth in this week’s National Fastpitch Coaches’ Association NCAA Division III Top 25 Poll.

Rookie Ami Hutcherson (Staley, N.C./Eastern Randolph) had a career-high four hits, including a two-run double in the third inning to lift the Quakers to victory in game one. Sophomore DeNina Eldridge (Hamtonville, N.C./Starmount) worked a complete game for her eighth win of the season. She allowed three Hornets run in the eighth inning, but retired the side in the ninth to seal the win.

Samantha Golley (Street, Md./North Harford) belted her second homer of the season to lead off the Quakers’ third inning. Amber Stapler (Glen Burnie, Md./Glen Burnie (Anne Arundel C.C.)) had three hits, including an RBI single in the seventh, and scored three times. Kelly Guarnieri (Wallingford, Conn./Mark T. Sheehan) added two doubles and an RBI.

Elizabeth Perkins hit a two-run homer for the Hornets in the first inning and teammate Katie Bruce belted a three-run shot in the sixth.

The Hornets rebounded for a 13-1, five-inning win in the nightcap. Pinch-hitter Sarah Spicer delivered a two-run double in Lynchburg’s six-run second inning. Dara Sandifer hit a two-run homer in the same inning. The following inning, Brittany Allsop plated two runners with a triple and scored on the following play when Perkins hit her second homer of the day. Bruce scattered four hits in four innings to improve to 14-2 on the mound.

Taryn Pulvermuller’s (New Egypt, N.J./New Egypt) solo homer in the second accounted for Guilford’s lone run. The Quakers conclude the regular season Wednesday (4/16) at Ferrum College. Lynchburg visits league-rival Randolph-Macon College Tuesday (4/15) at 1:30 p.m.

Guilford 8, Lynchburg 6 (Apr 12, 2008 at Lynchburg, Va.) (Game 1)
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Guilford………… 113 101 1 – 8 16 1 (20-16, 8-9 ODAC)
Lynchburg……….. 210 003 0 – 6 6 1 (29-4, 12-1 ODAC)
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Pitchers: Guilford – DeNina Eldridge. Lynchburg – Miles; Bruce(4).
Win-DeNina Eldridge(8-9) Loss-Miles(12-2) T-1:41 A-80
HR GC – Samantha Golley (2).
HR LC – Perkins; Bruce.
Game notes: Ami Hutcherson (Staley, NC/E. Randolph) had a career-high 4 hits, including a 2-run double in the 3rd to lead GC to the Old Dominion Athletic Conference upset of the Hornets, ranked 6th in this week’s NFCA Division III Top 25 Poll. Samantha Golley led off the 3rd with a HR.
Game: GCS-37

Lynchburg 13, Guilford 1 (Apr 13, 2008 at Lynchburg, Va.) (Game 2)
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Guilford………… 010 00 – 1 4 1 (20-17, 8-10 ODAC)
Lynchburg……….. 264 1X – 13 9 0 (30-4, 13-1 ODAC)
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Pitchers: Guilford – Samantha Golley; Taryn Pulvermuller(3). Lynchburg – Bruce; 0’Hara(5).
Win-Bruce(16-2) Loss-Samantha Golley(8-4) T-1:09 A-80
HR GC – Taryn Pulvermuller (2).
HR LC – Perkins; Sandifer.
Game notes: Dara Sandifer hit a 2-run HR in LC’s 2nd inning. Brittany Allsop hit a 2-run triple in the 3rd, which was followed by Elizabeth Perkins’ second HR of the day, a 2-run shot. Sarah Spicer hit a 2-run double in the LC 3rd. GC’s Taryn Pulvermuller led off the 2nd with a solo HR.
Game: GCS-38