Baseball | 3/20/2012 9:25:00 PM

FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. - The Methodist baseball team took the early lead, but had to come from behind late to win 9-8 over North Central College in 10 innings. The victory gives head coach Tom Austin his 999th career win with a chance for 1,000 on Wednesday.

The Monarchs took the early lead when Matt Quick reached on an error and scored on Trey Such's single up the middle in the first. Methodist added two runs in the second when Steven Kirby singled and scored on a wild pitch and Cody Molosky scored on a first and third stealing opportunity.

North Central came back with two runs on four hits in the third and tied the game in the fourth. The Monarchs regained the lead on Such's RBI double. Methodist went ahead 6-3 in the sixth when Dustin Brown and Cody Molosky scored on an error and wild pitch. The Cardinals battled back to lead 8-6 with five runs in the seventh. They led off with a triple and added four hits while capitalizing on a Methodist error to take their first lead of the game.

The Monarchs had a runner on in the seventh and the eighth, but came up empty leaving it all to the ninth inning. Brian Armstrong sparked the rally with a single up the middle and Such singled through the left side to move Armstrong to second. Josh Tulledge pinch ran for Such and Armstrong stole third in time to score on Brandon Thigpen's sacrifice fly. With two outs, Tulledge advanced to third after a failed pickoff attempt and Younger hit the clutch single through the left side for Tulledge to score the game-tying run. North Central picked up the third out to send the game to extra innings.

The Cardinals had runners on first and second in the top of the 10th, but Rusty White forced Steve Hlavac into a fielder's choice at third base. Dustin Brown drew the lead-off walk for the Monarchs in the bottom of the inning and was ruled safe on Steven Kirby's fielder's choice bunt. Cody Molosky finished it off with a single into center field for Brown to score the game-winning run.

Such finished 3-for-5 at the plate with two RBI. Brown and Brandon Thigpen were 2-for-3.

Rett Lee went three innings with three strikeouts while Michael Judge, Michael Inman, Josh Ayers and Rusty White finished in relief. White earned the win pitching three scoreless innings giving up just two hits and notching one strikeout.

The Monarchs will be back at Armstrong-Shelley on Wednesday when they host Tufts at 4 p.m. For more information on Austin's road to 1,000 wins visit: HERE.

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