Baseball | 4/13/2013 3:36:00 PM

Box Score ZEBULON, N.C. -- Brandon Thigpen drove in two runs and Daniel Royer allowed two runs on five hits in 6.2 innings and the Methodist baseball team kept its postseason run alive with a 4-2 win over Piedmont on Saturday afternoon.
 
The sixth-seeded Monarchs, the only unbeaten team remaining in the tournament, will now play for the USA South Championship on Sunday afternoon at 12:00 pm against the winner of Piedmont vs. N.C. Wesleyan/LaGrange.
 
Methodist struck for a pair of runs in the first inning, taking advantage of three Piedmont errors in the frame, to give Royer an early cushion. Chris Power led reached via an error to lead off the game. He moved into scoring position when Ronnie Hatfield reached on an error as he was attempting to lay down a sacrifice bunt. Steven Kirby followed with a fielder's choice, and the Lion's third miscue of the inning on the play allowed Power to come in with the game's first run. Thigpen then grounded out to shortstop to bring in Hatfield for a 2-0 lead.
 
The Lions got a run back in the fourth inning, scoring on a passed ball to make it a 2-1 game, before the Monarchs answered with single runs in fifth and the sixth. Cody Molosky singled home Stephen Nalls in the fifth inning for a 3-1 lead and Thigpen's double in the sixth allowed Hatfield to score his second run of the contest.
 
Royer, who had cruised through the first six innings, hit a rough patch in the seventh. An RBI single with two outs cut the Monarchs' lead to 4-2 and after a two-out walk put runners on first and second, Royer was pulled in favor of Mikie Morrison. Morrison promptly walked the first batter that he face to load the bases, but he struck out Tate Koons looking to end the inning.
 
Morrison allowed a pair of baserunners in the ninth inning as well, but once again caught Koons looking with runners on first and second to end the game and send the Monarchs into Sunday's championship.
 
Royer (4-4) finished with a final line of two runs (1 ER) on five hits and a walk with five strikeouts in 6.2 innings. Morrison picked up the save with 2.1 innings of scoreless relief. He allowed three hits and one walk while striking out two.
 
The Monarchs, who were held to four hits on the day, were led by Thigpen, who was 1-for-4 with a pair of RBIs. Power and Nalls were each 1-for-4 with a run scored.
 
Methodist will now await its opponent for tomorrow's 12:00 pm championship game, with whoever the Monarchs face needing to knock off MU twice tomorrow to claim the title.