Baseball | 2/22/2014 5:43:00 PM

Box Score FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. -- Travis Johnson tossed 5.1 innings of scoreless relief and the Methodist baseball team picked up a 1-0 win over Emory on Saturday afternoon at Armstrong-Shelley Field.
 
Johnson came on in relief of injured starter Rhett Lee with two outs in the first inning and allowed eight hits with two walks and five strikeouts in picking up his first win of the season. Josh Ayers came on and threw the final three innings, surrendering four hits with four strikeouts and a walk to earn his second save of the year.
 
The Monarchs scored the lone run of the game in the second inning when Tyler Hardee drew a leadoff walk. He moved up to second on a sacrifice bunt by Matt Jack, and following a groundout by Alex Rodriguez, came around to score on Lucas Scott's RBI single.
 
That one run was the only blemish for Emory's Connor Dillman (1-1), who pitched a complete game in the loss. He gave up just five hits with four walks and four strikeouts.
 
That single run would be all the Monarchs would need as Johnson and Ayers worked out of several jams. The Eagles (6-3) left a total of 14 runners on base, including two each in the third, sixth, eighth and ninth innings, and Methodist turned three double plays.
 
Emory had several chances to tie or take the lead late in the game. In the eighth inning, a pair of singles and a wild pitch put runners on first and third with two outs before Ayers induced an inning-ending groundout to end the threat. The Eagles threatened again in the ninth, putting runners on first and second with one out, but Ayers got Daniel Iturrey to lineout, then Wes Peacock to strike out to close out the game.
 
Scott finished 2-for-3 at the plate with an RBI to lead the Monarchs. Chris Power was 1-for-3 with a walk, and Hardee walked twice and scored.
 
Emory, which out hit MU, 13-5, was led by Philip Maldari, who finished 3-for-3 with a double. Jared Welch was 3-for-4, and Brett Lake was 3-for-4 with a walk. Brandon Hannon added two hits in four at-bats and walked once.
 
Methodist and Emory are back on the diamond on Sunday beginning at 2:00 pm.