College Baseball Final – Guilford 11, William Peace 2

CARY, N.C. – Guilford College pitchers combined to strike out ten batters as the Quakers’ bats warmed up to earn a chilly Wednesday afternoon victory over William Peace University, 11-2.

Guilford powered their offense with three big innings starting with a three-run third frame where the Quakers produced two singles after a throwing error led off the inning. After William Peace countered with a two-run rally in the next half-inning, Guilford responded with a four-run fifth inning that chased William Peace starting pitcher Brandon Lamm out of the contest. The Quakers benefited from a two-out fielding error in the top of the seventh inning after placing runners in scoring position when Grayson Tuttle and Joe Metts opened the inning with back-to-back singles. The Quakers forced the Pacers to leave nine runners on base, including two in the bottom of the ninth, to counter Guilford’s ten runners left on base on the way to victory.

Josh Shepherd led the Quakers with a three-for-four effort at the plate, representing one of three Quakers with a multi-RBI afternoon by driving in two runs. Andrew Brann’s lone hit was a two-RBI double as part of the Quakers’ rally in the fifth inning. Metts also drove in two runs in a one-for-two afternoon where he produced a sacrifice fly to cap the fifth-inning rally and provided the insurance run in the eighth inning on a ground out. Jacob Roberts was the second and remaining Quakers’ bat with three hits in a three-for-five afternoon.

Alex Scott was one of two Pacers with a multi-hit afternoon, batting two-for-three with one RBI. Mikey Anerton drove in the remaining Pacers’ run on a two-out ground out to spark William Peace’s rally in the third inning.

Darin Salter (1-0) claimed the win for the Quakers in a three-inning effort where he gave up two runs on five hits while fanning two batters. Guilford’s bullpen shut down the Pacers, allowing only one hit led by Chase Mitchell’s (Lexington, N.C./North Davidson/UNC-Pembroke) three-inning one-hit effort with three strikeouts. John Todd, Parks Smithey, and Chase Shuford no-hit the Pacers in the final three innings with each hurler throwing an inning a piece while the tandem struck out five batters.

Lamm (0-1) took the loss for the Pacers, giving up seven runs (four earned) on five hits while walking six and fanning two batters. Kyle Vincent led the Pacers out of the bullpen with a one and two-third inning effort, giving up just one hit while walking one and striking out three.

Coach Nick Black’s Quakers (2-1) are currently scheduled to take the field again Saturday for a doubleheader with Berry College beginning at noon, pending Saturday’s weather forecast.

                  SCORE BY INNINGS    R  H  E
Guilford          0 0 3 0 4 0 3 1 0  11 11  0
William Peace     0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0   2  6  3