Baseball | 4/5/2014 8:18:00 PM

Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 ROCKY MOUNT, N.C. -- The Methodist baseball team scored four runs over the final two innings to rally for a 6-4 win over N.C. Wesleyan and earn a split with the Battling Bishops on Saturday afternoon. N.C. Wesleyan took game one, 5-1.
 
Trailing 4-2 entering the eighth inning of the nightcap, Methodist (17-10) scored three runs in the eighth inning to take a 5-4 lead over NCWC (10-18-1), and then added an insurance run in the ninth.
 
Ray Lanners led off the eighth with a double to left and pinch hitter Matt Jack clubbed a two-run home run to left center that tied the game at 4-4. Pete Wildeboer then reached on an error and wound up on second base. A groundout by Josh Howard moved Wildeboer up to third base with one out, and after a strikeout by Travis Johnson, Wildeboer was able to score on a wild pitch to give the Monarchs a 5-4 lead.
 
Methodist added an insurance run in the ninth on a safety squeeze by Alex Rodriguez that allowed Steven Kirby, who had singled and then stole second and third, to score.
 
The rally made a win of reliever Josh Ayers (2-0) who tossed 2.2 scoreless innings. He gave up two hits and struck out four. Darin Salter started on the mound for MU and allowed four runs (2 ER) on six hits and a walk with five strikeouts in 6.1 innings.
 
Jackson Pleasant (0-6) took the loss. He allowed four runs (3 ER) on three hits and a walk with two strikeouts in 1.1 innings of relief.
 
Wildeboer finished 2-for-5 with a pair of runs scored for Methodist. Howard was 2-for-3 with a run and an RBI, and Power and Molosky each added a pair of base hits.
 
Luis Palencia, J.J. Rodriguez and Jason Riley all had two base hits for N.C. Wesleyan.
 
In the opener, Methodist banged out 10 hits, but left 12 runners on base as Ryan Grant worked out of several jams to earn the win for the Bishops. He finished with one run allowed on eight hits and three walks with two strikeouts in 5.2 innings. Travis Johnson (3-3) took the loss for MU. He gave up five runs (4 ER) on nine hits and a walk with four strikeouts in 6.2 innings.
 
The Bishops opened the game with a pair of runs in the first inning, courtesy of a two-run single to left center off the bat off J.J. Rodroguez that brought home Palencia and Kani Upshur. In the second inning, NCWC stretched its lead to 3-0 when Upshur singled home Hayden Williams, who had stolen second and moved up to third on an error by Chris Power.
 
Methodist tallied its lone run in the fourth inning. Cody Molosky singled to lead off the frame, and moved up to second on a walk to Tyler Hardee. Rodriguez laid down a sacrifice bunt that moved each runner up 90 feet. Chris Power followed with a single down the left field line to bring home Molosky.
 
Molosky finished 2-for-4 with a run scored. Power was 2-for-5 with an RBI, and Stephen Nalls added a pair of base hits in five at bats.
 
J.J. Rodriguez finished game one with a 3-for-4 performance. He drove in three runs. Upshur and Palencia were both 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored.
 
Methodist and NCWC wrap up their three-game set on Sunday beginning at 2:00 pm.