Softball | 3/30/2013 6:31:00 PM

FAYETTEVILLE, N.C -- The Methodist softball team rallied from one-run deficits in both the seventh and eighth innings in earning a 6-5, 10-inning win in the opener of a doubleheader with LaGrange on Saturday afternoon. The Panthers won the nightcap, 10-1, to split the twinbill at Monarch Field.
 
The Monarchs (15-17, 6-8 USA South) scored a single run in the bottom of the seventh inning of game one to force extra innings, then extended the game further with a tying run in the bottom of the eighth before Sarah Stapleon's bases-loaded single in the 10th plated Kelsey Harrington with the game-winning run.
 
Methodist, which had taken a 3-0 lead in the first inning, clung to a 3-2 lead in the seventh inning before the Panthers scored a pair of runs, including the go-ahead run on a wild pitch, to assume a 4-3 lead. In the bottom of the inning, Jordan Adams led off with a walk and took second on a wild pitch with one out. With two outs, Ally Griffin's ground ball to short was misplayed by LaGrange and Adams came in to score on the play and tie the game at 4-4,
 
LaGrange inched ahead 5-4 in the eighth inning, scoring on Kalin Oglesby's RBI single with two outs before Methodist rallied again. With Heather Williams beginning the inning on second base as part of the international tie breaker rule, Gabby Howard led off with a sacrifice bunt to move Williams to third. Natalie High then laid down a bunt single that scored Williams to tie the game at 5-5.
 
After the Panthers stranded a pair of runners in the ninth, the Monarchs loaded the bases with nobody out, but Kayla Folds got back-to-back strikeouts then induced a popout from Harrington to escape the jam.
 
LaGrange again stranded a pair of runners in the 10th inning, and in the bottom of the frame, Methodist once again loaded the bases with nobody out before Stapleton's drive to left fell in for a hit and Harrington came in with the game-winning run.
 
Jessica Farmer pitched all 10.0 innings for the Monarchs. She allowed five runs (2 ER) on 13 hits and did not walk anybody while striking out two. Kayla Patterson started for the Panthers and lasted just 0.2 innings. She gave up three runs on three hits and two walks. Folds took the loss, surrendering two runs (0 ER) on two hits and two walks with three strikeouts in 2.1 innings.
 
Harrington finished 2-for-5 with a double, a run scored and a double for the Monarchs. High was 2-for-2 with a run driven in and Katie Scheller was 1-for-3 with a double, a pair of walks and a run scored.
 
Oglesby was 3-for-6 with a run driven in for LaGrange. Courtney Beshel was 3-for-5 with two runs scored, and Danielle Newbern, added two hits in five at bats with two RBIs.
 
 In game two, the Panthers erupted for five runs in the fourth inning to take a 7-0 lead en route to the split. Christy Flick led off the inning with a triple and scored on Jordan Conner's RBI single. Allison Coats was then hit by a pitch that loaded the bases and Lindsey Hogan followed with a bases-loaded walk that made it 4-0. Oglesby made it 5-0 with an RBI base hit and Dani Gravett drove in a pair of runs with a single to the left side for a 7-0 lead.
 
After a single run in the top of the sixth inning for LaGrange, Methodist plated its only run of the game on Ally Griffin's single to right that scored Katie Byrd, who had led off the inning with a triple, to make it 8-1. LaGrange added a pair of runs in the seventh inning to cap the scoring.
 
Stapleton took the loss, allowing six runs (5 ER) on three hits and three walks in 3.0 innings. Brittany Miller pitched the final 4.0 innings, surrendering four runs on six hits and three walks with one strikeout.
 
Folds earned the win for the Panthers, scattering seven hits and one walk while striking out six in 7.0 innings.
 
Stapleton was 2-for-4 with a stolen base and Katie Byrd finished 1-for-3 with a run scored to lead the Monarchs.
 
Flick was 2-for-3 with three runs scored for the Panthers and Hogan was 2-for-3 with a pair of RBIs and two runs scored.
 
Methodist is back in action on Monday at Mary Baldwin for a doubleheader beginning at 2:00 pm.