College Baseball Final – Guilford 8, Lynchburg 7

GREENSBORO, N.C. – Herc Ingels’ two-out, go-ahead infield single broke a 7-7 tie in the bottom of the ninth inning, lifting Guilford College over Lynchburg College, 8-7, in a Wednesday afternoon Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) game.

Lynchburg posted three runs to start the top of the first inning with the Quakers countering with one run in the bottom half of the frame. After five scoreless innings, the Hornets posted one more run in the seventh inning before the Quakers responded in the same inning with a five-run rally. After an insurance run for the Quakers in the bottom of the eighth inning, Lynchburg erased the three-run Quaker lead in the top of the ninth. Guilford’s Jacob Roberts reached on a fielding error, sending Kyle Humphrey to third base and setting up Ingels to collect his third hit of the day on an infield single with two outs to claim the victory, 8-7.

Corey Wallace went 2-for-4 with a three-RBI triple to start the five-run rally in the bottom of the seventh inning. Wallace’s fifth triple of the season now stands in a tie for the conference lead with the Hornets’ Joe Rogers.

Michael Whited (Greensboro, N.C./Ragsdale) finished 3-for-5 with two RBI and a double. Whited hit into a fielder’s choice, driving in a run in the bottom of the first inning. The Quakers’ shortshop continued the Quakers’ five-run rally in the seventh stanza with a double down the left field line for his second RBI.

Lynchburg’s Lincoln Evans went 2-for-4 with a solo home run in the game’s first at-bat. Jay Kenyon finished with two RBI from his single to center field to cap the three-run Hornet rally to start the game.

Borja Jones-Berasaluce earned the start and threw six innings, giving up three runs on seven hits while striking out six batters. The Quaker bullpen held the Hornets to just two hits in the final three innings while striking out three batters. Chad Wagoner threw the seventh inning, giving up one unearned run on two hits. Andrew Martin relieved Wagoner in the eighth inning, surrendering just two unearned runs on no hits. Avery Rogers (1-2) gave up just one unearned run on no hits while striking out one to collect the victory.

Lynchburg starting pitcher Zac Patrick earned the no-decision, throwing six innings while giving up one run on six hits and fanning five batters. Colton Steber (0-2) threw one and two-thirds innings, giving up two unearned runs on one hit while striking out three batters to take the loss.

The Quakers (15-18, 7-9 ODAC) return to action for their final home games of 2014, hosting William Peace University Saturday afternoon in a doubleheader beginning at 1:00 p.m.