GREENSBORO, N.C. – J.P. Nicholas, Jr. had two hits and three RBI, including the game winner, in Lynchburg’s 4-2 baseball win over Guilford College Sunday.
The victory gained a split of the Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) season-opening twinbill as the Quakers (8-4, 1-1 ODAC) won game one, 3-2, in 12 innings.
Guilford carried a 2-1 lead into the seventh inning of game two when Lynchburg (6-3, 1-1 ODAC) rallied after a leadoff single by Brock Shiflett. Pinch-hitter Ragan Rudisill drew a one-out walk and the runners moved up one base on Dustin Aarowood’s grounder to first. Nicholas scored both runners with a single to left, his second of two hits. He finished with three RBI.
Michael Del Buono second homer of the day added an insurance run in the eighth inning.
Rookie reliever Brandon Miller (2-0) collected his second win of the year with four shutout innings of four-hit ball. James Womack threw two scoreless frames before giving way to closer Michael Mansfield, who earned his league-leading fourth save of the season.
Guilford’s Kent Peterson, the hero in game one, had three hits in the nightcap. John Macon Smith (Greensboro, N.C./Western Guilford (Western Carolina)) was two-for-three with a double.
Peterson’s bases-loaded single in the bottom of the 12th inning gave the Quakers a 3-2 opening-game victory, their first over Lynchburg since 2006. Smith spotted the Quakers to a 2-0 lead with his league-leading sixth homer of the season, a two-run shot, but the Hornets battled back and tied the game on Del Buono’s solo blast in the eighth.
Guilford starter Will James fanned a career-high eight in 7.1 innings before giving way to Chad Wagoner for one batter in the eighth. Wagoner retired his one batter and Micah Winterstein entered and threw 3.1 scoreless innings before Ryan Lindsay came on in the 12th. The freshman earned his second win of the season with a scoreless inning.
Lynchburg starter Robert Garrett did not allow a run after Smith’s homer in the first and threw seven innings of six-hit ball. Jared Millner (0-1) entered in the eighth and did not allow a hit until D.J. Phillips’ one-out double in the 12th. The hit sent Jordan Slate to third after the leadoff batter was hit by a pitch. Millner intentionally walked
Smith before Peterson won the game with an RBI hit to left.
Guilford hosts Immaculata College Tuesday (3/6) in a 1:00 doubleheader at McBane Field.
Guilford – 3
Lynchburg – 2
(Mar 04, 2012 at Greensboro, NC) (Game 1)
---------------------------------------------------------------------- Lynchburg........... 001 000 010 000 - 2 11 1 (5-3, 0-1 ODAC) Guilford............ 200 000 000 001 - 3 8 0 (8-3, 1-0 ODAC) ----------------------------------------------------------------------
Pitchers: Lynchburg – Robert Garrett; Jared Millner(8) and Zach Fitzpatrick. Guilford – Will James; Chad Wagoner(8); Micah Winterstein(8); Ryan Lindsay(12) and Gabe Mirabelli; Will Byrd.
Win-Ryan Lindsay(2-0)
Loss-Jared Millner(0-1)
T-2:40
A-60
HR LC – Michael Del Buono.
HR GC – John Macon Smith.
Weather: party cloudy, 51, some wind
Game notes:
Old Dominion Athletic Conference game
Game: GCB-11
Game 2
Lynchburg – 4
Guilford – 2
Mar 04, 2012 at Greensboro, NC) (Game 2)
---------------------------------------------------------------------- Guilford............ 200 000 000 - 2 10 1 (8-4, 1-1 ODAC) Lynchburg........... 010 002 01X - 4 10 1 (6-3, 1-1 ODAC) ----------------------------------------------------------------------
Pitchers: Guilford – B. Jones-Berasaluce; Chad Wagoner(7); Lou Trosch(8) and Will Byrd.
Lynchburg – Charlie Thieringer; Brandon Miller(3); James Womack(7); Michael Mansfield(9) and Zach Fitzpatrick.
Win-Brandon Miller(2-0)
Save-Michael Mansfield(4)
Loss-B. Jones-Berasaluce(1-1)
T-1:30
A-60
HR LC – Michael Del Buono.
Weather: cloudy, chilly
Game notes:
Old Dominion Athletic Conference game
Game: GCB-12