RALEIGH, N.C. -- The Meredith College softball team opened the 2017 campaign in a home doubleheader Saturday versus the Guilford Quakers. Brittany Bucklin led the Avenging Angels with four hits, three RBIs on the day.

In game one the Quakers opened the game with a 3-0 advantage through five innings and added two more runs on a homer from Katy Holt in the top of six.

The Avenging Angels finally reached the scoreboard on an RBI-double from Laura Zievis in the bottom of the frame. Rachel Peel scored Eran Artigues on the next at-bat with a single to right.

Meredith's defense held the Quakers in the top of the seventh but needed three runs to keep the game alive. With two outs on the board, Bucklin scored Erica Occena on a single through the left side and moved Maria Annunziata into scoring position at second. But a fly ball to left in the next at-bat ended the game with Guilford in the lead.

Taylor Jackson took the loss for Meredith with four innings pitched, and Julia Cerasi closed out the game in her first collegiate appearance. Guilford's Courtney Lackey earned the win.

In game two Bucklin put Meredith on the board in the bottom of the first frame with a two-RBI homer, scoring Haley Ervin on the play.

But Guilford responded with a run in the second and five more in the top of the third to take a 6-2 lead.

In the bottom of the third, Sarah Watson scored Bucklin on a right field single before being thrown out heading to second on the play.

Rookie Madison Walton pulled the Angels to within one in the bottom of five with a two-RBI single up the middle, but the Quakers spread the gap back to two in the top of the sixth.

Guilford stretched their advantage to seven in the top of the seventh before daylight gave out to end the game early.

Freshman pitcher Myah Morse recorded the loss for the Avenging Angels in her first collegiate start, and Guilford's Danielle Hunt earned the win.

Meredith hosts the Shaw Bears in non-conference action Sunday beginning at 1 p.m.