High Point, NC – On a sunny, but chilly Saturday at Truist Point Stadium, the Greensboro College Baseball team opened up USA South conference play by hosting Mary Baldwin University in an afternoon doubleheader.
Behind strong hitting from Sophomore
Samuel Hayen (Fort Lauderdale, FL), Junior
Drake Carrick (Lexington, NC) and Freshman
Brody Gardner (Asheboro, NC), in addition to a complete game from Senior Pitcher
Sam Peddycord (Kernersville, NC), the Pride were able to win the first two games of the three game weekend series by scores of 17-8 and 4-1.
Game One
In a game that would see a lot of runs, Greensboro struck first when Carrick singled to right field, driving in Hayen for the lead, 1-0. The Fighting Squirrels would answer with two runs to go out in front. However, with the bases loaded in the bottom of the second inning, the Pride were able to be patient at the plate, which allowed for three runs to cross and that was followed by a Senior
Connor Morehouse (Kansas City, MO) two-RBI double and then with the score 6-2, Carrick would hit a three-run homerun to end the inning leading 9-2. Mary Baldwin was able to get a few runs back, but the Pride bats continued their dominance as Freshman
Evan Sykes (Graham, NC) hit a solo home run, while Gardner and Hayen added to their RBI total, giving Greensboro the win, 17-8.
The Pride were led by Hayen, who finished 4-4 with 3 runs and Gardner who added three RBI's and Carrick who went 3-6 with a homerun. Junior
Cameron Edmunds (Whitsett, NC) finished 3-5 and on the mound, Junior
Alex Trepper (Tampa, FL) picked up the win , while Freshman
Stephen Dunlow (Oxford, NC) came on for the save.
Game Two
Peddycord would pitch his best game of the season in the second game of the doubleheader as he controlled the plate, and his offense was able to get him runs to work with. In the third inning, Gardner broke a scoreless tie when he doubled to center field, allowing Sophomore
Myles Vacharasin (Land O' Lakes, FL) to score. Gardner would eventually come home on a sacrifice fly from Hayen, giving Greensboro a two run advantage, 2-0. While the Fighting Squirrels were able to get one back in the fourth inning, that is all the runs Peddycord would give up and after RBI's from Vacharasin and Gardner, he would record the final out for the complete game.
Offensively, the Pride were led by Gardner who finished 3-4 with 2 RBI's and a run, but this game's story was Peddycord's performance on the mound as he recorded seven strikeouts, allowed 7 hits and only gave up one run.
Greensboro will return to action tomorrow, March 19
th as they conclude the three-game series with Mary Baldwin. First pitch is scheduled for 1:00pm.
