Baseball | 3/7/2009 5:57:36 PM

WINCHESTER, Va. - After the Averett series was canceled last weekend, the Methodist baseball team traveled to Winchester, Va. this weekend to open USA South Athletic Conference action on Saturday against Shenandoah.  It took four hours and 15 minutes, but the Monarchs outlasted the Hornets 20-19 in ten innings.

The Monarchs (8-5, 1-0) opened the game with four runs in the first inning. Shawn Lovette was hit by a pitch to lead off and Tripp Lancaster reached on a bunt single before Brian Inghram hit his third home run of the season to give Methodist the 3-0 lead. Brad Davis followed up with a double and scored on Brian Halpin's single for the fourth run of the inning.

Shenandoah (13-2, 0-1) added a run in the bottom of the first, but both teams came up empty in the second and third innings. Methodist racked up five hits in the fourth to score four additional runs taking an 8-1 lead. Inghram hit a two-RBI single and Dustin Proctor added a two-RBI single.  The Hornets responded with six runs in the bottom of the fourth to cut the lead to one. Kevin Brashears led the Shenandoah rally with grand slam to right center.

The Hornets took the 9-8 lead in the fifth, but Methodist came back with a six-run sixth inning. Tripp Lancaster led off with a single and Davis homered to left to regain the lead. Proctor drew the walk and Peter Yusckat singled to set up Proctor to score on Halpin's double. Yusckat and Halpin both scored on Trey Such's single to left center and Such scored on Lovette's single to give the Monarchs the 14-9 lead. Methodist added a run in the seventh on a RBI-double from Proctor, but Shenandoah fought back to close the gap to 15-14 with five runs in the bottom of the seventh.

Methodist added three runs in the eighth on a solo home run from Philip Betterly and RBIs from Lancaster and Davis. Shenandoah scored three runs on three hits in the bottom of the inning to move within one. The Hornets shutout Methodist in the top of the ninth and scored the game-tying run in the bottom of the inning. Methodist got out of the inning and the game moved to the tenth.

Betterly led off the 10th with a single and advanced on a groundout and balk before scoring on a fielders choice. Lancaster stole second and scored on Inghram's single through the right side to give Methodist the 20-18 advantage heading to the bottom of the inning. The Hornets scored an unearned run in the bottom of the inning but Methodist pitcher Alex Sholar forced the groundout to get the final out and take the 20-19 win.

Inghram and Davis both finished the game with five hits a piece. Inghram led the team with six RBI and Davis added three. Lancaster finished 4-for-7 at the plate.

Michael Mahaffey started on the mound pitching 3.2 innings before being relieved by Matt Partin, Josh Andrade, Tre Britt and Sholar. Sholar earned the win giving up four hits in 2.2 innings.

Gage Levac took the loss for Shenandoah in relief.

Methodist and Shenandoah will be back to finish the series in Winchester Sunday at 1 pm.

Box Score