GREENSBORO, N.C. – The Guilford softball team suffered a pair of setbacks to ODAC foe Emory & Henry at Haworth Field on Tuesday, March 30th, by scores of 9-5 and 8-0 (6 inn.).
Ally Morales put together a solid performance on the day for the Quakers finishing 3-for-4 from the plate with a pair of doubles and two runs scored. Teammate Jessie Beck also came through with a double for the Quakers, who slipped to 0-4 overall and in ODAC action with the loss.
EMORY & HENRY 9, GUILFORD 5 (GAME 1)
The Wasps jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the top of the first, capitalizing on a double to centerfield by Morgan Silvis. Emory & Henry added four more runs in the second, highlighted by a two-run home run by Emily Scaggs.
Guilford notched its first run in the bottom of the second, taking advantage of a leadoff single by Sarah Aukamp, who move to second on a sacrifice bunt. Aukamp came home on a wild pitch with Morales at the plate, slicing the Wasps lead to 4-1.
Emory & Henry got that run back in the top of the third, scoring on a sacrifice fly to right by Scaggs that plated Allyson Steadman. The Wasps had their second multi-run inning of the game in the fifth, plating three runs en route to a 9-1 advantage. All three runs came on a double to left field by Anna Thomas.
The Quakers put their second run of the game across in the fifth when Morales reached base on a double to centerfield. With teammate Grace Calus on first after a walk the pair moved up a base on a wild pitch. Two batters later, Abbie Hill drove a double to left that scored Morales for the 9-2 lead.
Guilford tacked on its final three runs of the game in the sixth, making for the 9-5 final. Kylie Richardson led off the frame with a walk and Emma Patterson advanced her to second on a bunt single. Morales loaded the bases with a walk before Caitlyn Ray roped a single to third that plated Richardson.
Beck worked the count in her favor to draw a walk, scoring Patterson, before Casey Bunting did the same, allowing Morales to cross the plate. That ended the Guilford scoring threat as the first game ended on a strikeout.
EMORY & HENRY 8, GUILFORD 0 (6 inn. / GAME 2)
The two teams battled through a scoreless tie for five complete innings before an eight-run sixth by the Wasps broke the game open.
The inning began with a single up the middle by Alex Braun, who moved to second on a fielding error that allowed Morgan Silvis to reach. The pair scored on a fielding miscue with Kendall Varner at the plate, making for a 2-0 Emory & Henry lead.
Varner came home two batters later with a single to right field by Emily Scaggs. Amanda Koeppe continued the inning by reaching on a fielding error and Nicole Cox loaded the bases with a single to third base.
Anna Thomas brought home a run for the Wasps with a sacrifice fly, scoring Scaggs and teammate Kyndall Hiatt followed with a single that plated Mince for the Wasps. Braun drove in the sixth run of the inning for the Wasps with a single to short that brought Cox home.
The final two runs of the frame came on a two-RBI single by Silvis that scored both Braun and Hiatt in the process.
Guilford closed out the game with five hits, including two from Morales. While Abigayle Rowell took the loss, moving her to 0-2 on the season, she tossed 5.1 innings, allowed five hits four runs (one earned) and finished with one strikeout.
The Quakers return to action on Saturday, April 3rd, when they head to Shenandoah for a doubleheader against the Hornets. The first game will take place and the second will follow approximately 30 minutes after the completion of the first game. For more information check out www.guilfordquakers.com.