Flying Eagles Honor Sophomores, Drop Doubleheader to Guilford Tech

Series Recap: Guilford Tech
05/03/2025 | Shaun Schetka

Game 1: Tough Day for the Flying Eagles in 16-0 Loss

SWCC couldn’t get much going in Friday’s series opener, falling 16-0 to a strong Guilford Technical CC squad at home.

Guilford Tech wasted no time getting on the board, scoring in the first inning after an error, then adding more in the second thanks to a single from Griffin Dawes and a triple off the bat of Gerald Hardy Jr.

The game got out of hand in the sixth when Guilford Tech put up eight runs on just five hits. Manny Cordova ripped a bases-clearing triple, GeSean Hardy added an RBI double, and Sam Norton launched a two-run homer to cap the inning. Two more runs came across on SWCC errors.

Carmine Lancaster was dominant on the mound for Guilford Tech, tossing six shutout innings and striking out nine while giving up just four hits. Brayden Dilday started for SWCC and took the loss, allowing seven runs (six earned) over four innings.

Gabe Cuellar, Graham Irvin, Damien Boyd, and Max McGlothlin each picked up a hit for the Flying Eagles.

Hardy Jr. led the charge for Guilford Tech with four RBIs on a 4-for-5 day. Hardy and Dallas Webb both had multiple hits, and the visitors played a clean game defensively without committing an error. Canyon Pennington led the team with nine defensive chances.

Game 2: SWCC Shows Fight But Falls 14-5

SWCC showed some fight in the second game of Friday’s doubleheader, but Guilford Tech’s early offense proved too much to overcome in a 14-5 loss.

The visitors came out swinging again, with Sam Norton blasting a two-run homer in the first and Canyon Pennington following up with a three-run double. Norton wasn’t done—he added a solo shot in the second to make it 6-0, and Manny Cordova extended the lead with a two-run homer in the third.

SWCC found some offense in the fifth, when Graham Irvin drove a two-run homer over the right-field wall. But by that point, Guilford had already built a comfortable cushion.

Wyatt Schaffer got the win for Guilford Tech, giving up three runs over 3.1 innings. Peyton Maines took the loss for SWCC, allowing eight runs on eight hits in three innings of work.

Irvin led the Flying Eagles with two RBIs and a homer. He was one of seven SWCC players to collect a hit, including Ben Kilbourne, Cason McInnis, Damien Boyd, Ronnie Hall, Kensley Joachim, and Chris Steele.

Norton and Hardy Jr. continued to spark the Guilford Tech offense, both going 3-for-4 while batting back-to-back in the lineup. Norton finished with two home runs, four RBIs, and three runs scored. GeSean Hardy and Dallas Webb also had multi-hit games.

Guilford Tech showed solid plate discipline, drawing seven walks in the game. Once again, they played clean defense without a single error, with Pennington leading the team in fielding chances.