GREENSBORO, N.C. – Jordan Slate’s (Lexington, N.C./North Davidson) bases-loaded single in the bottom of the 11th inning gave Guilford College a 2-1 win and a sweep of Saturday’s Old Dominion Athletic Conference baseball doubleheader with visiting Randolph-Macon College.
Ben Esser had four hits and two RBI in the Quakers’ (19-14, 7-5 ODAC) 6-4 opening-game win. Guilford scored twice in the fourth, sixth and seventh innings to back a solid performance by sophomore Borja Jones-Berasaluce (4-1), who earned his team- and career-best fourth win of the season with seven solid innings. Esser’s single up the middle in the sixth scored Kent Peterson with the go-ahead run after the Yellow Jackets tied the game in the top half of the inning.
Guilford’s seventh-inning runs proved valuable as Randolph-Macon slugger Jordan Walton (3-4, 3 RBI) belted his second homer of the game and drew the Yellow Jackets (14-15-1, 7-6 ODAC) to within 6-4. Senior Micah Winterstein entered and recorded the next five outs for his first save of the season.
Michael Helbig limited the Quakers to four hits through eight shutout innings before D.J. Phillips singled to lead off the ninth. Closer Ryan Wood (2-1) entered and yielded the game-tying run despite the not allowing a hit. Justin Pittman’s bases-loaded fielder’s choice scored the tying run.
Avery Rogers threw three scoreless innings in relief of starter Lou Trosch before Jake Fletcher doubled with one out in the top of the 11th. Ryan Lindsay (3-2) came on and intentionally walked Walton before inducing an inning-ending double-play grounder from pinch-hitter Tim Benjamin.
The sweep marked Guilford’s first over its league rivals since 2004.
Guilford – 6
Randolph-Macon – 4
Apr 07, 2012 at Greensboro, NC – Game 1
---------------------------------------------------------------------- Randolph-Macon...... 100 001 020 - 4 7 0 (14-14-1, 7-5 ODAC) Guilford............ 000 202 20X - 6 13 0 (18-14, 6-5 ODAC) ----------------------------------------------------------------------
Pitchers: Randolph-Macon – Jamie Hendrick; Sid Harvey(7); Glenn McLaughlin(8) and Tim Benjamin.
Guilford – B. Jones-Berasaluce; Chad Wagoner(8); Micah Winterstein(8) and Gabe Mirabelli.
Win-B. Jones-Berasaluce(4-1)
Save-Micah Winterstein(1)
Loss-Jamie Hendrick(2-4)
T-2:20
A-120
HR R-MC – Jordan Walton 2 (5).
Weather: sunny, 60
Game notes:
Old Dominion Athletic Conference game
Game: GCB-32
Guilford – 2
Randolph-Macon – 1
Apr 07, 2012 at Greensboro, NC – Game 2
---------------------------------------------------------------------- Randolph-Macon...... 000 000 100 00 - 1 8 1 (14-15-1, 7-6 ODAC) Guilford............ 000 000 001 01 - 2 6 0 (19-14, 7-5 ODAC) ----------------------------------------------------------------------
Pitchers: Randolph-Macon – Michael Helbig; Ryan Wood(9) and Matt Musser. Guilford – Lou Trosch;
Avery Rogers(8); Ryan Lindsay(11) and Will Byrd; Gabe Mirabelli.
Win-Ryan Lindsay(3-2)
Loss-Ryan Wood(2-1)
T-2:30
A-120
Weather: Sunny, 64
Game notes:
Old Dominion Athletic Conference game
Helbig faced 1 batter in the 9th.
Game: GCB-33