GREENSBORO, N.C. – Casey Mann (Reisterstown, Md./North Carroll) had a career-high five hits in Guilford College’s 16-9 baseball win over visiting Bluefield State College Saturday afternoon. Kent Peterson and Ben Esser both added four hits in Guilford’s (1-1) 21-hit attack against the NCAA Division II Big Blues (0-1).
The visitors struck with an unearned run in the first, but Guilford answered with three in the bottom of the frame, thanks to the first of Mann’s five singles, an RBI double by Peterson and Esser’s two-out, two-run single. John Macon Smith’s (Greensboro, N.C./Western Guilford (Western Carolina) two-run triple keyed a four-run second and his RBI groundout in the third opened an 8-1 Guilford lead.
Quakers’ starter Borja Jones-Berasaluce retired 10 straight before running into trouble in the fifth inning. Jon Neuberger’s two-run single followed by two walks chased Jones Berasaluce and made it a 10-4 contest. Reliever Justin Morrison (High Point, N.C./High Point Christian) (1-0) retired Travis Thompson with the bases loaded, which ended the frame after the Blues plated three unearned runs.
Thompson’s three-run homer in the top of the seventh brought Bluefield to within 10-7, but the Quakers scored three in the seventh and three in the eighth to put the game out of reach.
Guilford hosts Averett Wednesday (2/15) at 2:30 p.m.
Guilford 16, Bluefield State 9 (Feb 11, 2012 at Greensboro, NC)
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Bluefield State..... 100 030 302 - 9 11 3 (0-1) Guilford............ 341 011 33X - 16 21 3 (1-1)
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Pitchers: Bluefield State – Chris Rabe; Robert Haggerty(3); Trevor Sargent(7); Travis Thompson(8) and Kyle Blocker. Guilford – B. Jones-Berasaluce; Justin Morrison(5); Chad Wagoner(7); Mike Gatton(8); Avery Rogers(9) and Gabe Mirabelli; Will Byrd.
Win-Justin Morrison(1-0)
Loss-Chris Rabe(0-1)
T-3:09
A-80
HR BSC – Travis Thompson.
Weather: 43, mostly cloudy, windy
C. Rabe faced 2 batters in the 3rd.
R. Haggerty faced 3 batters in the 7th.
Game: GCB-02