Guilford College Softball Finals – Ferrum 7-6, Guilford 6-5

Ferrum, Va. – Ferrum College swept a nonconference softball doubleheader from visiting Guilford College Wednesday. The Panthers rallied to win the opener, 7-6, in eight innings, and took the nightcap, 6-5.

Guilford grabbed a 5-0 lead in the second inning thanks to Kelly Hale’s two-run double in the first and her RBI single in the second inning. The Panthers scored four times in the bottom of the third inning on two hits, two walks and two Quakers’ errors.

The Quakers took a 6-5 lead into the bottom of the seventh, but a leadoff walk followed by an error resulted in a tie game. Ferrum’s Joelyn Arthur scored the game-winner with one out in the eighth on Lauren Rizzo’s fielder’s choice and the Quakers’ fifth error of the game.

Hale went three-for-three with a double and three RBIs for Guilford. Kryestyn Matherly and Jasmine Parker had both of Ferrum’s hits. The Panthers’ Katie Duff (7-8) pitched all eight innings and struck out seven for the win. Eldridge took the loss, despite not allowing a hit in 4.1 innings of relief.

In game two, Guilford held a 4-0 lead through three innings, but Ferrum manufactured three runs in the bottom of the fourth and went ahead, 6-4, with three more runs in the fifth inning. Megan Barger delivered a two-run double in the inning, which included an error, two walks and two passed balls.

Kelly Guarnieri led off the seventh inning with her fourth home run of the season and Hale followed with a single, but Matherly retired the next three batters in order for her fifth win and 17th complete game of the season.

Barger and Rizzo doubled among Ferrum’s five hits. The Panthers took advantage of five Quakers’ errors and five passed balls. Hale and Ami Hutcherson had three hits apiece for the Quakers.

The contests ended Guilford’s regular season. The Quakers await the results of the rest of the Old Dominion Athletic Conference season to see if they qualify for one of six league tournament berths.

Ferrum 7, Guilford 6 (Apr 16, 2008 at Ferrum, Va.) (Game 1)
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Guilford………… 230 010 00 – 6 7 5 (20-18-1)
Ferrum………….. 004 100 11 – 7 2 1 (16-21)
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Pitchers: Guilford – Taryn Pulvermuller; DeNina Eldridge(4). Ferrum – DUFF, Katie. Win-DUFF, Katie(7-8) Loss-DeNina Eldridge(9-10) T-2:02 A-40
Game notes: Joelyn Arthur scored the winning run from 3rd base on a GC error on a ball hit by Lauren Rizzo in the bottom of the 8th. FC rallied from a 5-0 deficit for the nonconference win. Katherine Matherly’s RBI single in the 3rd was one of FC’s 2 hits. GC’s Kelly Hale hit a 2-run double in the 1st inning.
Game: GCS-39

Ferrum 6, Guilford 5 (Apr 16, 2008 at Ferrum, Va.) (Game 2)
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Guilford………… 301 000 1 – 5 13 4 (20-19-1)
Ferrum………….. 000 330 X – 6 5 0 (17-21)
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Pitchers: Guilford – DeNina Eldridge; Samantha Golley(5). Ferrum – MATHERLY, Kryestyn.
Win-MATHERLY, Kryestyn(5-8) Loss-DeNina Eldridge(9-11) T-1:24 A-40
HR GC – Kelly Guarnieri (3); Kelly Hale (10).
Game notes: Megan Barger hit a 2-run double in the FC 5th to help the Panthers sweep this nonconference doubleheader. Kelly Hale led off the GC 3rd with her school-record 10th HR of the year. Kelly Guarnieri hit a leadoff HR in the GC 7th. Eldridge faced 4 batters in the 5th.
Game: GCS-40