GREENSBORO, N.C. – Pinch-hitter Nathan Fulbright drew a two-out walk-off walk in the bottom of the 14th inning, leading Guilford College to a Wednesday afternoon Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) comeback victory over Lynchburg College, 5-4. The contest is Guilford’s longest game in the school’s Division III era.
The Quakers (13-14, 3-8 ODAC) fended off the Hornets in the top of the second by stranding Lynchburg (7-18, 3-8 ODAC) base-runners on all bases after the Hornets loaded the bases with two-outs thanks to two fielder’s choice situations that took runners in scoring position off of base. Lynchburg struck first one inning later as the Hornets rallied with two outs to score a run off a Brad Hylton single. The Hornets added to their lead after the Quakers turned a double play to clear the bases as the Quakers exited the inning with no further damage. Guilford starting pitcher Darin Salter secured a key sixth-inning stand where he shut down the Hornets, yielding no base runners. Lynchburg’s David Goulding answered with a similar effort one-half inning later. Joe Tomasulo drove in a run in the top of the seventh stanza on a one-out single with runners at the corners as part of three-straight hits from the Hornets in the top-third of the order. The Quakers quickly countered in the next half inning to tie the game in a three-run rally sparked by a Joe Metts two-RBI single with the bases loaded in an frame where Guilford produced five-hits. Salter produced two quick innings in the eighth and ninth stanzas as Lynchburg countered with a quick ninth inning to send the game into extra frames.
Lynchburg attempted a rally in the top of the tenth, placing runners at first and second with one-out as Salter exited the game in favor of John Todd. Todd induced a double play to third base to exit the inning. The Quakers threatened in the bottom of the 13th inning as Brett Shapcott produced a two-out single and advanced to third on his second stolen base of the game and a wild pitch before Lynchburg retired the side. Pinch-hitter Matthew Stevens punched in Lynchburg’s lone run in the top of the 14th inning with a two-out single to put the Hornets ahead. Todd struck out the next batter to advance the Quakers to the bottom half of the frame where the Quakers produced three straight singles after earning the second out. After Rocco Wilcox drew a hit-by-pitch to tie the game, Fulbright endured a full count before watching a low pitch fall in the dirt to draw the walk to end the contest.
Shapcott and Wilcox each hit three-for-six with Wilcox tallying a triple in the bottom of the eighth inning to start a potential bid at the game winning run. Andrew Brann hit three-for-seven while Chuck Noble finished two-for-six with a double and one RBI.
Jonathan Munn hit two-for-four with two doubles for Lynchburg while Brad Hylton and John Tomasulo each hit two-for-seven with one RBI a piece.
Todd (4-1) claimed the win for the Quakers in a four and two-third inning relief effort where he struck out six batters and walked one, giving up one run on one hit. Salter threw the first nine and one-third innings where he struck out two and walked three giving up three runs (one unearned) on nine hits.
Kyle Jacksic (1-1) took the loss for Lynchburg throwing an inning of relief beginning with two outs in the 13th frame, giving up two runs on three hits. David Goulding earned the start and gave up just four hits in six inning while striking out five and walking one. Ryan Irby threw six innings of relief, giving up four hits while striking out three.
The Quakers travel to Bridgewater College Saturday for an ODAC doubleheader beginning at noon.