DANVILLE, Va. — Juniors Nic Futrell and Drew Evans each drove in two runs apiece as Averett University baseball defeated Guilford College 6-4 on Wednesday afternoon at Owen-Fulton Field.
 
Futrell's double to right field in the first inning brought senior Taylor Davis home to put Averett (18-8) ahead 1-0 after one inning. Futrell struck again in the third to give the Cougars a valuable insurance run. After a lead-off single, hit batter, and a interference call on the Quakers' catcher juiced the bases for Averett, Futrell knocked a single to right that scored freshman Kyle Vidano on the play, giving the Cougars a two-run advantage. Evans rounded out the scoring with an RBI fielder's choice to second to give Averett a 3-0 lead after three.
 
Guilford (8-18) added a run in the fifth to get on the board thanks to Tyler Petersen's RBI single to left. The Quakers got within one in the top of the sixth with AJ Girting's sacrifice fly to center to make it 3-2 after five and a half. However, the Cougars struck back with two runs in the bottom of the frame to extend their lead to two. Freshman B.J. Purnell got Averett going with a single through the right side and stole second to get into scoring position. Two batters later, Vidano got on base with a single through the left side to put runners on the corners for the Cougars. Purnell scored on senior J.T. Crowder's single to first and Vidano came home on the next play thanks to a wild pitch to give Averett a 5-2 cushion.
 
Neither team would score again until the top of the eighth when an RBI sacrifice fly got the Quakers within two. Guilford put the tying runners on base with a single, fielder's choice to short, and a walk, but junior right-hander Brandon Goff entered the game in relief and got Michael Pinkston to pop up to Purnell to end the threat and inning.  Despite giving up the run, the Cougars responded with a run in the bottom of the frame to push their lead back to three when Evans' sacrifice fly to right-center brought Davis home, giving Averett a 6-3 advantage.
 
Senior Timothy Coston (5-1) was solid in the start, pitching 7.2 innings, while allowing only two unearned runs and striking out four. Junior right-hander Kyle Walsh picked up his second save of the season in one inning of work.
 
Futrell had another solid day at the plate, hitting 2-for-3, while senior Kevin Alvarez went 2-for-3 in the victory.  Vidano chipped in with two hits on the afternoon.
 
Averett returns to competition on Friday when it hosts William Peace at 2:30 p.m. in the first contest of a three-game series at Owen-Fulton Field.