Box Score For immediate release – 4/20/2011 - #354
Lynchburg Advances Past Guilford in Walk-off Fashion
LYNCHBURG, VA – It came down to senior Jordan Watkins (Freeland, MD/Hereford) at the plate in the bottom of the 12th inning with the bases loaded to settle the first-round game between Lynchburg College and Guilford College. Watkins plated a single past the second baseman for a thrilling 6-5 Lynchburg victory over the Quakers in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) Tournament on Wednesday.
Watkins finished the day 4-5 at the plate, with two RBI after getting an All-ODAC Honorable Mention earlier in the day.
Both teams traded runs early before Lynchburg took a 3-1 lead in the bottom of the second inning. Watkins singled in a run and junior Ragan Rudisill (Forest, VA/Jefferson Forest) hit a RBI-single to give the Hornets a two-run cushion.
Guilford scored a run in the top of the third and fourth inning, knotting the game at three. Senior Mike Walters (Manassas, VA/Osbourn) tripled to score junior Richard Palase (Staten Island, NY/Moore Catholic) after he had led the inning off with a triple to take a 4-3 lead in the bottom of the fifth inning.
The Quakers responded with two runs in the bottom of the sixth to take a 5-4 lead. Lynchburg though, answered right back with a run in the bottom of the seventh courtesy of a RBI-single from senior Chris Colquhoun (Virginia Beach, VA/Salem).
Both teams threatened in extra innings, including in the top of the 12th with a runner on first, Palase made a diving grab to get the batter out and then threw to first to make the double play.
Watkins then made his game-winning hit in the bottom of the frame to send Lynchburg to the second round of the ODAC Tournament.
Senior Matt Morgan (Bedford, VA/Liberty) lasted six innings, giving up seven hits and striking out three. A trio of pitchers for Lynchburg handled work out of the bullpen, including junior Jared Millner (Forest, VA/Jefferson Forest) who pitched three scoreless innings and earned the win. Junior Robert Garrett (Richmond, VA/Mills Godwin) and senior Bryan Breedlove (Suffolk, VA/Nansemond Suffolk) each saw action as well, relinquishing zero runs.
Will James got the starting nod for Guilford (16-23), giving up five runs and striking out three. Zach Montalbano led the Quakers at the plate, going 2-5 with two RBI. Guilford will play Hampden-Sydney tomorrow at 11 am.
Lynchburg (23-13/14-4 ODAC) will play the winner of the Randolph-Macon/Washington & Lee game tomorrow night at 7 pm at Lynchburg City Stadium.
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