BRIDGEWATER, Va. – Guilford College’s Grayson Tuttle drove in four runs over Saturday afternoon’s Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) doubleheader with Bridgewater College as both sides split the doubleheader. The Eagles claimed game one, 6-4, while the Quakers claimed the nightcap, 6-4.
Calvin Clyde put Bridgewater (17-12, 8-5 ODAC) on the board in the second at-bat of the bottom of the first inning of game one as he singled and later drew the first run in on a double-steal attempt to claim an early lead. The Quakers (14-15, 4-9 ODAC) answered one half-inning later as Tuttle hit a two-RBI double with one out in the inning as Guilford totaled five hits. Clyde gave Bridgewater the lead back in the bottom of the fourth frame as he knocked a two-out single to reclaim the lead. The Quakers responded in the next half inning as Josh Shepherd drove in a run on a single in the second at-bat. The Quakers posted one run in the top of the seventh inning off a Joe Metts ground out that produced the second out of the frame. The Eagles produced two insurance runs in the bottom half of the inning to provide insurance as Bridgewater held on to claim victory.
The Eagles jumped to a 2-0 lead after the first inning of game two, with one run being driven home on the second out of the inning. Clyde sparked a two-run rally in the bottom of the fifth frame with a RBI-single with no outs while Kenner Berry’s single capped the rally with one out. The Quakers came alive in the top of the seventh inning as Tuttle doubled with no outs to drive in two runs and Rocco Wilcox grounded out to bring home the third run of the inning to cut the deficit down to one run. Guilford tied the game in the eighth inning as Guilford manufactured two hits and drove in a run on a balk. The Quakers completed the comeback in the next inning, where Guilford posted a two-run rally capped by a two-out A.J. Girting RBI-single. Guilford’s game-two starting pitcher Eric Yost secured two quick outs in the bottom of the ninth inning and then faced back-to-back two-out hits before inducing a ground out to salvage a doubleheader split.
Tuttle finished two-for-six with four RBI and two doubles as he entered into game-two from the bench. Shepherd led the Quakers at the plate, batting four-for-seven with two RBI while Wilcox represented one of two Quakers with a multi-hit effort in game one, batting two-for-three.
Clyde finished the afternoon with three RBI for Bridgewater on his three-for-nine doubleheader. Berry finished the afternoon four-for-eight with a double and one RBI.
Parks Smithey (1-6) took the game-one loss for the Quakers in a six and one-third innings effort where he struck out two and walked four while giving up five runs on eight hits. John Todd led the bullpen, giving up just two hits and fanning one in a one and two-third innings effort. Eric Yost (2-1) claimed the game-two complete win where he struck out four and walked one.
Steven Woerner claimed the game-one win for Bridgewater in a five-inning relief effort where he struck out five and walked one while giving up one run on two hits. Justin Petock earned the start in a four-inning effort where gave up three runs on eight hits while striking out two and walking one. Woerner (2-2) claimed the loss in game two after giving up two runs on three hits in on and one-third innings. Tristan Daywalt earned the start, throwing seven innings and fanning 11 batters and walking two while giving up three runs on five hits.
The Quakers return to the diamond Tuesday, traveling to Emory & Henry College for a 3 p.m. ODAC contest.