The Bob Jones University baseball team fell in back-to-back contests against NCAA DIII program Guilford College in Greensboro, North Carolina. In game one, the Quakers got the walk off 6-5 win before taking game two 8-3.
After two weeks without a game, the Bruins were back on the field to face Guilford College in Saturday's doubleheader. It was a chilly day but the Bruins got off to a hot start. Mannix Crawford, Cody Kirkpatrick, and Sam Gonzalez each scored a run in the top of the second inning to put the Bruins ahead early in the contest.
Guilford got on the board in the bottom of the third off of a wild pitch. The Bruins needed just one more out to end the inning but found themselves in a bit of trouble with back-to-back walks to load the bases. The Bruins were able to strand all of the runners to end the inning with just one run scored.
As the fourth inning got underway, the Bruins tacked on two additional runs thanks to a 2RBI single by Kirkpatrick to score Conley Burk and Evan Johnson to lead 5-1. The Quakers responded in the bottom of the fourth with three runs to cut the Bruins lead to just one run.
Guilford put two runners across home in the bottom of the seventh to overtake the Bruins with the 6-5 win in game one.
"We had 11 hits in game one and outplayed Guilford at the plate and defensively," said Head Coach Kyle Morrison. "However our pitching gave up 10 free bases with walks and hit batters which really hurt us. We've got to learn how to finish. With all the free bases, and a timely error by our defense, it cost us the game."
After a brief break, the two teams were back in action for game two of the day. With two outs on the board early in the first inning, the Bruins had Cayden Kennedy and Isaiah Brandt in scoring position, but Kirkpatrick flied out to center field to retire the Bruins leaving them scoreless to start the game.
Guilford put four runs on the board in the bottom of the second inning to take the early lead.
Evan Johnson opened the third inning with a single. After advancing to second and then third base, Angelo Gomez came up to bat. His sacrifice fly allowed Johnson to score to put the Bruins on the board.
The Quakers added to their total with four more runs in the bottom of the fourth to take the 8-1 lead. It remained 8-1 until the final inning. With only one out left in the game, Bryson French stepped up to bat. He sailed the ball to right center field for a triple. With an error by Guilford's short stop, French and Max Lucien were both able to race across home to add to the Bruins total. The game ended with Guilford College in the win column 8-3.
"In the second game we rolled over," said Morrison. "After giving up four runs, I've got to do a better job motivating these guys to compete against the process and not the scoreboard."
The Bruins are back in action on Tuesday as they travel to Cleveland, Georgia for a Tuesday contest against Truett McConnell University.
