BRIDGEWATER, Va. – Guilford College’s Makayla Carver threw a complete-game in game one while Jordan Starke connected on a grand slam in game two as the Quakers claimed a Saturday afternoon Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) doubleheader over Bridgewater College. The Quakers took game one, 9-2, and the nightcap, 11-7.
Both sides nodded at 2-2 through one inning of game one before the Quakers (24-10, 9-5 ODAC) took control. Guilford scored in each of the last four innings to conclude the contest. Carver helped her cause twice during the rally, reaching on an error in the top of the fourth inning where two runs crossed home plate with two outs. The error was one of two errors for Bridgewater in the inning to help the Quakers. Carver helped her own cause again in the top of the sixth stanza with a one-out single after a Natalie Conrad triple.
Katy Holt continued the two-out magic one inning later, capitalizing on a Sabrina Moreno lead-off single, connecting on a double to left field to widen the lead. The Quakers mounted a three-run rally in the final inning, all with no outs, as Conrad capped the rally for her third hit of the game to lead the Quakers.
The Quakers posted two big rallies in the second and third innings of game two to place distance between themselves and the Eagles (8-20, 3-9 ODAC). Guilford produced three-straight singles after the first out in the second inning, setting up Strake’s grand slam for her second-career home run. The Quakers pounded the Eagles for seven runs one inning later on seven hits as Taylor Boyd and Moreno collected two-RBI singles in the rally with Moreno’s runs driven home taking place with two outs. Courtney Lackey capped the rally with a RBI-double to center field.
Jessica Dawson’s two-out double drove home two runs in response to Guilford’s rally as the Eagles broke the drought in the bottom of the third inning. Stephanie Carroll prevented an early conclusion to the contest in the bottom of the fifth inning as her two-RBI single with the bases loaded capped a three-run rally to cut the Guilford lead to six. Bridgewater posted two more runs as the Quakers cleared their bench, but Guilford maintained the lead to complete the sweep.
Kayli Blankenship led the Quakers with a five-for-nine effort over both contests while Carver posted four hits with one RBI on a four-for-nine afternoon. Boyd hit four-for-eight with three total RBI over both games while Conrad posted the Quakers’ lone three-hit effort in game one, batting three-for-four.
Carver (7-3) struck out nine batters in the complete-game victory in game one. She struck out seven through the first three innings. Langston (4-0) took the game two win in a one-inning effort where she struck out two.
Hannah Trala (0-3) took the loss for Bridgewater in game one, walking two and striking out two in five and one-third innings. Brooke Louden (4-8) took game two loss, walking one and fanning one in two and two-third innings.
The Quakers return home Tuesday, hosting Emory & Henry College for a 3 p.m. ODAC doubleheader.