LYNCHBURG, Va. – The Guilford softball team had three multi-run innings, including a three-run first, to earn an 8-1 victory over host Randolph College in ODAC action on Friday afternoon. The second game of the doubleheader, tied at 6-6, was halted due to darkness.
Guilford improved to 9-11 overall with the victory and 7-11 in ODAC play while Randolph slipped to 5-11 overall and 0-4 in the conference.
Kylie Richardson led off the game with a single to third and teammate Emma Patterson followed with the same, moving Richardson into scoring position at second. Caitlyn Ray connected on a double to left centerfield, plating Richardson for the first run of the contest.
Ally Morales lifted a sacrifice fly to center, advancing Ray to third and Patterson home for the 2-0 advantage. Ray crossed the plate quickly thereafter, scoring on a wild pitch.
Richardson opened the second inning with a single to the right side and moved to second when Ray reached on an error at second. Morales scored the pair on a grounder to first as Ray trotted home following an error at first, pushing the lead to 5-1.
Jessie Beck took advantage of an error at second to open the fifth, moving into scoring base at second in the process. Two batters later, Richardson seized a Wildcat miscue in the outfield that also allowed Beck to score. Richardson advance to third on a wild pitch and scored on an error at third that put Patterson at third and Ray at first.
Randolph trimmed the lead to 7-1 in the bottom of the sixth on a run scoring single to right by Paige Naples. The Quakers got that run back in the top of the seventh after a single through the left side of the infield by Faith Fennell scored Morales for the eighth and final run.
The top third of the Guilford lineup, which included Richardson (2-4, 3 runs), Patterson (2-5, run) and Ray (2-5, 2 runs, RBI), accounted for six of the team’s 13 hits. Abbie Hill also had a 2-for-4 performance for the Quakers in the contest.
Katie McNeill (6-5) tossed a complete game five hitter for the Quakers, allowing one run and one walk along the way. McNeill fanned four Wildcat hitters in her sixth win of the season.