Softball | 2/28/2013 6:43:00 PM

Box Score FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. -- The Methodist softball team turned in a dominant performance on Thursday afternoon, sweeping Gwynedd-Mercy in a doubleheader at Monarch Field. The Monarchs won the opener, 8-0, and then took the nightcap, 4-0.
 
With the pair of win, MU moves to 5-1 on the season, while the Griffins fall to 0-4.
 
In the first game, Jessica Farmer allowed just two hits over five innings and the Monarchs clubbed a pair of home runs to coast to the win. Jordan Adams drew a leadoff walk in the first inning for Methodist and Katie Byrd jumped on the first pitch she saw for a two-run home run to right center for an early 2-0 lead.
 
The Monarchs made it 3-0 in the second inning on Krista Zenter's RBI double that drove in Marcy McKee, who had double and moved to third on a passed ball.
 
In the third inning, the Monarchs put the game away with four runs, all coming with two outs. After Byrd and Lindsay Tippett each popped out to start the inning, Natalie High single through the right side and moved to second on a walk to Ally Griffin. McKee followed with a double to center that scored both runners and Zentner then tripled to drive in McKee and make it 6-0 in favor of MU. Heather Williams then singled in Zentner to make it 7-0 before Gwynedd-Mercy was able to escape the inning.
 
The Monarchs capped the scoring in the fifth inning when McKee ended the game with a leadoff solo homer to dead center field.
 
McKee finished 3-for-3 with a pair of doubles and the home run. She drove in three runs and scored three as well. Zentner was 2-for-2 with two RBIs and a run scored. Farmer stayed perfect on the year (3-0) with 5.0 scoreless innings. She did not walk a batter and struck out two.
 
Ashley Lamont took the loss for the Griffins, allowing eight runs on 10 hits and two walks with five strikeouts in 4.0 innings. Kelsey Farrar and Lamont had the two Griffin hits in the game.
 
In game two, three Methodist pitchers combined on a one-hitter. Brittany Miller started and allowed just one hit with three walks and two strikeouts in 3.0 innings. Amanda Rodriguez added 3.0 innings of perfect relief, striking out four, and Sarah Stapleton pitched the final inning. She did not allow a hit and walked one. Rodriguez was credited with the win to even her record at 1-1.
 
Methodist took a 3-0 lead when it scored three runs in the third inning. The Monarchs put runners on second and third with back-to-back doubles by Zentner and Stapleton to lead off the frame. Jordan Adams then reached on a fielder's choice that saw Zentner gunned down at the plate, while Stapleton moved up to third. Adams stole second and Byrd followed with a walk that loaded the bases. Lindsay Tippet plated the first run with an RBI single up the middle and Natalie High added a sacrifice fly to make it 2-0. MU added an unearned run to make it 3-0.
 
The Monarchs added another unearned error in the sixth inning when Byrd came home on a fielding error by the Griffins.
 
Tippett and Stapleton both had two hits for the Monarchs and Byrd finished 1-for-2 with a pair of walks and two runs scored.
 
Farrar had the lone Griffin hit in the game. Kaitlyn Johnson took the loss, surrendering four runs (2 ER) on eight hits and four walks with two strikeouts in 6.0 innings.
 
The Monarchs return to action on Friday when they begin play in the Virginia Wesleyan Beach Blast against Randolph-Macon at 12:00 pm.