Softball | 3/20/2013 10:31:00 PM

FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. -- The Methodist softball team split a doubleheader with Greensboro on Wednesday at Monarch Field. The Pride took game one, 5-3, before Methodist came back with a 6-2 win in the nightcap.
 
In game on, MU took a 1-0 lead in the second inning on Heather Williams' RBI double to center that scored Natalie High, who had been hit by a pitch to lead off the inning, from second base.
 
The Pride countered with four runs in the third inning to take a 4-1 lead. Sarah Tompkins tied the game at 1-1 with an RBI single and Sarah Connolly made it 2-1 with another RBI base hit. Rae Hall then added a two-run double with two outs for a 4-1 lead.
 
The Monarchs pulled to within a run (4-3) when Katie Byrd blasted her fourth home run of the season, a two-run shot, in the fifth inning. In the top of the seventh, Greensboro tacked on an insurancerun on Connolly's RBI single to center.
 
Methodist had a chance to tie the game in the seventh after Jordan Adams and Lindsay Tippett led off the inning with back-to-back walks. After Byrd struck out, both runners moved into scoring position on Krista Zentner's groundout before Hannah Pennell got High out on strikes to end the game.
 
Jessica Farmer took the loss in the circle for the Monarchs, allowing five runs (1 ER) on 12 hits with four strikeouts in 7.0 innings. Kelsey Sanfilippo picked up the win in the circle for the Pride, surrendering three runs on five hits and a walk with three strikeouts in 5.0 innings. Pennell added 2.0 innings of scoreless relief. She gave up one hit, walked two and added two striekouts.
 
Byrd finished 1-for-4 with two RBIs and a run scored for the Monarchs. Tippett was 1-for-2 with a pair of walks.
 
Tompkins finished 3-for-4 with a run scored and an RBI for Greensboro.  Chelsea Brewer was 2-for-4 and Connolly had two hits in three at bats with a pair of RBIs and one run scored.
 
In the nightcap, Nicole Heinrich picked up her first collegiate win, allowing two runs on two hits and two walks with three strikeouts in 4.0 innings. Brittany Miller nailed down the save with 3.0 innings of scoreless relief. She allowed two hits and one walk with one strikeout.
 
Methodist jumped on the board with a pair of runs in the first inning to take a 2-0 lead. Jordan Adams singled with one out and Byrd drove her in with a double off the wall for the game's first run. Ally Griffin then drove in Byrd with a single to right for a 2-0 lead.
 
Greensboro tied the game at 2-2 in the fourth inning on Tompkins' two-run homer to left center before MU took the lead for good in the bottom of the frame when Williams tripled in Sarah Stapleton  for a 3-2 lead.
 
Methodist tacked on three runs in the sixth inning, including Williams' RBI double, to make it a 6-2 game and salvage a split of the doubleheader.
 
Williams was 2-for-4 with a pair of RBIs and a run scored out of the leadoff spot to lead Methodist. Byrd was also 2-for-4, scoring once and driving in a run, while Kelsey Harrington finished 2-for-3 with a run scored.
 
Pennell took the loss for Greensboro, giving up three runs on six hits and two walks with a strikeout in 4.0 innings. Tompkins was 2-for-3 with a run scored and an RBI to lead Greensboro at the plate.
 
Methodist is back in action on Saturday when it plays a doubleheader at Meredith beginning at 1:00 pm.