DANVILLE, Va. — Senior Kyle Walsh recorded his first career home run and the Averett University baseball team snagged a 6-5 win over Guilford College in non-conference action on Sunday at Owen-Fulton Field.

After Averett (2-3) spotted Guilford an early two runs in the top of the first inning, Walsh came up and blasted a solo shot over the fence in left-center field to cut the Cougars' deficit in half at 2-1 after two frames.

The Cougars knotted the score in their half of the third. Junior Trey Wall led things off with a double to left to put the tying run in scoring position. Two batters later, senior Billy McLaughlin came up and brought Wall home with a single that tied the game at 2-2.

With the game still tied entering the bottom of the fifth, Averett scored four runs to take a four-run advantage. Senior Noah Greenblatt kicked things off with a single and later advanced to second base on Wall's sacrifice bunt. A wild pitch allowed Greenblatt to move to third and Guilford (4-4) issued a walk to sophomore Dallas Smithers to put runners on the corners with one out. Smithers stole second on the Cougars' next at-bat and another walk loaded the bases for Averett with two outs to spare. Next, sophomore Kyle Vidano came to the plate and recorded an RBI fielder's choice to second to put Averett on top 3-2. On the same play, a throwing error by the Quakers allowed Smithers to score, giving the Cougars a valuable insurance run. Freshman Ross Jackson capped off the frame with a two-run single through the left side that made it 6-2 after five.

Guilford used a three-run sixth inning to make things interesting. Josh Shepherd led off the frame with a single to right-center. Shepherd later came around to score courtesy of an RBI double by Joe Metts that cut the Cougars' advantage to three. Grayson Tuttle brought home the Quakers' fourth run with an RBI single to left and Guilford trimmed its deficit down to one when Metts scored on a delayed steal. It appeared that the Quakers would tie the game moments later when they used a walk and a pair of singles to load the bases with two outs. However, junior right-hander Chris Campbell got Rocco Wilcox to fly out to center to end the inning.

The Quakers nearly tied the game again in the ninth. Guilford once again loaded the bases on a single and pair of fielder's choices. Walsh, though, induced a fly out to right to seal the game for Averett.

Senior right-hander Joshua Hatcher (1-0) struck out five in five innings on the hill to pick up the victory. Walsh picked up his first save of the year, allowing only one hit in two innings of work.

The Cougars take the field again on Feb. 23 when they host Hampden-Sydney College at Owen-Fulton Field at 2:30 p.m.