Grizzlies Outlast Blue Devils in Walk-Off Win

Apr 28, 2024

Matt DiNardo's game-winning RBI single in the bottom of the 7th helped Guilford to a 7-6 win over a scrappy West Haven squad, that scored 3 times in the top of the 7th to erase a 3-run Grizzly lead. It was DiNardo's second consecutive 2-RBI game that included key, late-inning contributions to help his team's cause.

Adam Copeland made his 3rd start on the mound for the Grizzlies and pitched well, going 5 innings, giving up 3 runs and left the game with his team holding a 6-3 lead. Guilford's first two runs came on Bryce Meder's sac-fly in the 1st, and his RBI, infield-single in the 3rd. After Meder's single, Guilford would load the bases and 2 West Haven wild pitches allowed 2 more runs to score, making it 4-0, Grizzlies. Then DiNardo would get his first RBI of the game on a ground out, giving Guilford a 5-0 lead as the game moved into the 4th.

In the top of the 4th, the Blue Devils would finally have some success against Copeland when Brady Price's 2-RBI triple cut the Grizzly lead to 5-2. Guilford got one back in the bottom of the 4th, when Meder notched his 3rd RBI of the game on a ground out, that increased the lead to 6-2.

West Haven added another run in the top of the 5th on 3 consecutive singles and a Chase Supan sac fly that made it 6-3, Guilford. But Copeland would shut things down from there, retiring the next 2 batters and ending the Blue Devil rally.

Then in the top of the 7th, with 1 out, West Haven would string together 3 consecutive singles to load the bases, before Ray Gilbert's RBI single cut Guilford's lead to 6-4. The Blue Devils then managed to push 2 more across, and for the second game in a row, the Grizzlies would find themselves needing to regain a lead they had held throughout.

In the bottom of the 7th, Guilford loaded the bases on a West Haven error, an infield single and an intentional walk, before DiNardo grounded one through the middle scoring the game winning run. And for the second game in a row, his teammates mobbed him on the field for his late-game heroics, but this time it came with a victory in hand.

Next up, Guilford will take their 8-3 record down to West Haven's Quigley Stadium on Mon., 4/29, for a 3:45 pm. game against Notre Dame - WH, before they welcome East Lyme to GHS Field on Wed., 5/1, for a 4 pm. matchup vs. the Vikings.