Baseball | 4/26/2014 8:26:00 PM

Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 LAGRANGE, Ga. -- The Methodist baseball team earned a split in a Saturday afternoon doubleheader at LaGrange. After capturing a 9-3 victory in the opener, the Monarchs dropped a 9-4 decision to the Panthers in the nightcap.
 
To start the day, MU finished game one with 17 base hits, and Travis Johnson pitched 8.0 innings of one-run ball.
 
With the score 2-1 in favor of Methodist through three innings, the Monarchs tacked on a two-spot in the fourth, and continued to distance themselves as the action progressed. In the sixth, Lucas Scott hit a one-out single to center, and Chris Power followed with a base hit up the middle. Cody Molosky then drove in both Scott and Power with a two-run double to make it 6-1.
 
MU tallied three more runs in the ninth on three consecutive run-scoring hits by Ray Lanners, Alex Rodriguez and Scott, respectively, to give Methodist a 9-1 advantage.
 
Scott went 3-for-5 for the Monarchs, including a double, two RBI and two runs scored. Molosky had three base hits, including a double, to go along with two driven in and scored once. Tyler Hardee batted 3-for-4 and scored twice, and Lanners also crossed the plate two times. Johnson (5-4) earned the win on the mound after lasting 8.0 innings. He gave up one run (0 ER) on two hits and a walk and struck out six batters.
 
LaGrange ended the opener with just five hits to its credit, including a 2-for-4 performance by Alec Redden. James Maxwell and Alex Murfin drove in a run apiece, and Keith Sims hit a double. Zach Tatham (2-3) took the defeat and exited the game in the sixth. He surrendered six runs (4 ER) on 11 hits and two walks. He struck out a pair.
 
In the nightcap, MU (22-15, 15-10 USA South) went ahead 1-0 in the opening half-inning courtesy of a Stephen Nalls run-scoring single that plated Power.
 
The Panthers (13-23, 9-14 USA South) would, however, claim a 7-1 edge via a seven-run first inning that Methodist could never recover from. LaGrange's pitching staff held the Monarchs scoreless until a three-run eighth inning.
 
Hardee went 2-for-3 with a double, an RBI and a walk for MU. Nalls also had two hits and scored once. Game two starter Darin Salter (6-1) suffered the loss. He allowed seven runs on six hits and a walk in 0.2 innings.
 
LaGrange had 17 hits total in game two, including a 4-for-5 performance by Casey Bell. He drove in three runs and scored once. Cain Sauls had three hits, and Sims finished with three RBI. Tyler Brooks (2-3) notched the victory with 8.0 innings pitched. He gave up four runs (1 ER) on eight hits and two walks. He struck out four.
 
The rubber match of this three-game set is scheduled for tomorrow at 2:00 pm.