ROCKY MOUNT, N.C. – The bats were churning as Guilford College softball team (1-0-1, 0-0 ODAC) opened their 2026 campaign on the road for a duo of clashes at North Carolina Wesleyan University (0-1-1, 0-0 USA South) on Saturday afternoon. In tight-knit battles, the Quakers would land the game one victory, 3-2, matching that outing in game two, 3-3, on the back of three late runs scored before running out of sunlight, ending in a tie in the closing matchup at Edge Field.
Abbey Whelan (Gaithersburg, Md.) would draw the knod in game one, providing a solid outing through 3.0 innings pitched, faltering in the fourth, allowing three hits, two runs, both-earned, and two walks in the win to improve to 1-0 on the season.
Dillon Northen (Kernersville, N.C.) would enter in relief in the circle, shutting down the Battling Bishops' scoring chances, giving up four hits and one hit-batter in 4.0 innings to earn her first save on the year for the Quakers.
Ava Strickland would get the nod for North Carolina Wesleyan, allowing seven hits, three runs, all earned, three walks, and striking out two in 4.0 innings throughout the losing effort, dropping to 0-1 on the season. Addyson Romanczyk would enter in relief for the Battling Bishops; however, not faring much better, allowing one hit and striking out one in 3.0 innings.
Early runs would be recorded for the Quakers on the back of
Kalissa Williams (Roanoke, Rapids) RBI single in the first,
Kaylyn Little (Locust, N.C.) would collect a 3-for-4 outing during her Quakers debut, sealing the opening victory off her 2-RBI single in the fourth, throughout Guilford's eight-hit showing.
Kayla Simmons would begin the Battling Bishops climb in the fourth, snagging an RBI single to get NCWU on the board. Savannah Bain would record an RBI single of her own throughout her 1-for-3 display, falling shy of stealing a lead from Guilford as the bats would continue to be quiet in game one for the Battling Bishops.
Kalissa Williams (Roanoke Rapids, N.C.) drew the game two start in the circle, faltering early in 3.2 innings pitched, giving up two hits, two runs, one earned, three walks, and three strikeouts.
Shiloh Gray (Lexington, N.C.) would enter in relief, climbing out of a jam on 2.1 innings pitched, surrendering two hits, one earned run, two walks, with one strikeout, before her outing fell short of completion due to lack of sunlight.
Kendall Wallace would earn the start for the Battling Bishops during game two, displaying poor consistency on defense for NCWU throughout 5.0 innings, dropping two hits, two runs, both earned, and one walk.
The bats struck cold early, picking back up in the fourth, from
Shiloh Gray's (Lexington, N.C.) 2 RBI double, logging a 2-for-3 effort in the closing contest.
Savannah Newton (Concord, N.C.) collected her second career hit as a Quaker, driving in one during the 1-for-3 performance.
Chloee Stoner (Salisbury, N.C.) drove in one in the final inning to secure the Quaker-victory in her 2-for-4 performance.
Ragan Holloman would open game two with an RBI triple for the Battling Bishops, striking first for her squad in her 2-for-3 effort. Aleah Jones drove in one off the error in her 1-for-4 showing before the bats would return cold for NCWU in the remainder of the battle.
GAME 1
Ava Strickland would work out of a jam in the first, leaving two runners on base on the back of
Kalissa Williams's (Roanoke Rapids, N.C.) RBI single and
Chloee Stoner's (Salisbury, N.C.) walk, just leaving the Quaker shy of breaking the game wide open after
Brooke Goyings's (Lake Villa, Ill.) closing groundout. Kayla Williams and Savannah Bain would drive in two in the fourth to match Guilford heading into the top of the fifth.
Morgan Singletary (Laurel Hill, N.C.) and
Kaley Mitchell (Lake Waccamaw, N.C.) would arrive on base before
Kaylyn Little (Locust, N.C.) would drive in both base runners to secure the Guilford lead midway through the fourth.
Dillon Northen (Kernersville, N.C.) would pitch a dominant 3.0 innings, securing the opening Guilford victory of the 2026 campaign.
GAME 2
Game two started slow for Guilford offensively, causing NCWU's bats to torch over the Quakers through 4.0 innings of play. Ragan Holloman would send in one off her RBI triple before Aleah Jones would do the same, advancing to second off a throwing error. This outcome would end
Kalissa Williams's (Roanoke Rapids, N.C.) day at 3.2 innings pitched.
The latter half of the clash would result in the Quaker-bats firing up with a
Shiloh Gray's (Lexington, N.C.) 2 RBI double, sending in
Keiya Bullock (Peletier, N.C.) and
Corryn McCutchen (Carthage, N.C.) after getting on base. After matching the score, 3-3, on the back of
Savannah Newton's (Concord, N.C.) RBI single, the contest would get cut short in the seventh due to a lack of sunlight to conclude, ending the game in a tie.
Guilford heads back on the road for a pair, clashing against Methodist University at Price Field on Saturday, February 28th. First pitch of both contests are slated for 1:00 PM and 3:00 PM.
#GoQuakes
