Softball | 4/1/2013 7:05:00 PM

STAUNTON, Va. -- The Methodist softball team cruised to a doubleheader sweep of Mary Baldwin on Monday afternoon, posting a 15-3 in game one, followed by an 11-3 win in game two.
 
The Monarchs (17-17, 8-8 USA South) scored 13 runs over the third and fourth innings to put the game out of reach, then capitalized on seven MBC (2-28, 1-15 USA South) in game two.
 
Leading 2-0 entering the third inning, the Monarchs added six runs, all with two outs, to take an 8-0 lead into the bottom of the frame. Lindsay Tippett doubled with one out, and after an Ally Griffin fly out, scored on Natalie High's single. A hit batter and a walk loaded thebases and Krista Zentner then reached on an error that drove in a run to make it 4-0. Sarah Stapleton reached on another error that brought in another run and gave MU a 5-0 lead. A bases-loaded walk, RBI-single and a passed ball accounted for the remaining three Monarch runs in the inning.
 
After the Fighting Squirrels scored three times in the bottom of the third inning to pull within 8-3, Methodist scored seven more times in the fourth inning, including two-run base hits from both Jordan Adams and High to go up 15-3 as the game was called halted after five innings.
 
Sarah Stapleton earned the win, allowing three runs on five hits and three walks with two strikeouts in 5.0 innings. High finished 2-for-3 with three runs driven in and a run scored, while Adams drove in three runs, going 1-for-3, and Tippett finished 2-for-3 with a pair of runs scored.
 
In game two, MU sprinted out to a 11-0 lead after three innings to secure the split. Stapleton led off the game with a walk and then stole second. Adams reached on one of the Squirrels' seven errors in the game, advancing Stapleton to third. Katie Byrd laid down a sacrifice bunt that scored Stapleton, and Tippett followed with an RBI double for a 2-0 lead.
 
The Monarchs came through with six runs in the second inning, taking advantage of a pair of MBC errors in the field and getting RBIs from Zentner, Byrd, and Nicole Heinrich en route to an 8-0 lead. In the third, Tippett blasted a two-out solo home run and Kirsten Markow and High each added RBIs as MU capped its scoring.
 
Heinrich picked up the win in the circle, allowing three runs on three hits and three walks with one strikeout in 5.0 innings. Tippett finished 2-for-3 with a pair of RBIs and two runs scored to lead the Monarchs at the plate. Markow was 2-for-3 with an run and an RBI and Stapleton and Adams were both 1-for-3 with a pair of runs.
 
The Monarchs are back in action tomorrow when the begin a doubleheader at Peace beginning at 3:00 pm.