College Baseball Final – Guilford 18, Eastern Mennonite 5

GREENSBORO, N.C. – John Macon Smith (Greensboro, N.C./Western Guilford (Western Carolina)) had three hits, including his NCAA Division III-leading 11th homer of the season, and a career-high six RBI in Guilford College’s 18-5 win over Eastern Mennonite University Sunday. Justin Pittman (Archdale, N.C./Trinity) also homered for Guilford in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) baseball game at McBane Field.

The Quakers (21-16, 9-7 ODAC) banged out 18 hits for the fifth time this season and batted around in the fourth and seventh innings. They scored a season-high 18 runs. Smith was a single shy of hitting for the cycle and also scored three times. He had an RBI double in the first and a two-run triple in the six-run fourth, which opened an 8-2 Guilford advantage. Smith drew a bases-loaded walk in the eight-run seventh and capped the Quakers’ scoring with a two-run blast in the eighth inning.

Junior D.J. Phillips was three-for-six with three RBI and three runs scored. Sophomore Will Byrd also had three hits, a career high. Senior Zack Montalbano doubled among his two hits and added three RBI.

Freshman Justin Morrison (High Point, N.C./High Point Christian) (5-3) was the beneficiary of the offensive outburst. The right-hander went five innings in his first ODAC start and earned his team-leading fifth win of the season. Will James threw three innings and Eric Backus pitched the ninth.
The Royals (11-23, 4-11 ODAC) had 14 hits themselves, but Guilford turned three double plays and Eastern Mennonite stranded 10. Jonathan Estrada was three-for-three with a triple and three RBI. Beau Banglesdorf also had three hits, including his third home run of the year. Senior starter Andy Richter fell to 1-6 with the loss.

Guilford, which has its most wins in a season since 2006, visits NAIA Montreat College Wednesday (4/18) at 3:00 p.m.

Guilford – 18
Eastern Mennonite – 5
Apr 15, 2012 at Grensboro, NC

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   Eastern Mennonite... 000 200 201  -  5 14  1      (11-23, 4-11 ODAC)
   Guilford............ 200 600 82X  - 18 18  0      (21-16, 9-7 ODAC)
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Pitchers: Eastern Mennonite – Andy Richter; Austin Davis(6); Austin Marzullo(7);
Keenan Martin(8) and . Guilford – Justin Morrison; Will James(6); Eric Backus(9) and .
Win-Justin Morrison(5-3)
Loss-Andy Richter(1-6)
T-2:26
A-75
HR EMU – Beau Banglesdorf (3).
HR GC – John Macon Smith (11); Justin Pittman (1).
Weather: 78, sunny
Game notes:
Old Dominion Athletic Conference game
rescheduled from March 24
Game: GCB-37