FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. -- A late-inning rally in game two helped the Methodist baseball team salvage a split of a doubleheader with Ferrum at Armstrong-Shelley Field on Saturday.
 
The Monarchs (4-4, 2-3 USA South) dropped the opener to the Panthers (5-3, 4-1 USA South), 9-4, before taking the nightcap by the score of 8-5.
 
In the opener, Ferrum struck for four runs in the first inning off MU starter Ross Leggett as a pair of MU errors led to all four runs being unearned. Kyle Hall reached on an error to lead off the frame, and moved to third on Ty Comer's single, and another MU error. With the bases loaded, Hank Parsley lofted a sacrifice fly to center for the game's first run. Lane Deaver followed with a sacrifice bunt that moved two runners into scoring position, and Matt Reynolds' single through the right side plated two more runs for a 3-0 lead. Clay Massie capped the scoring with a two-out single to left center that scored Reynolds and extended Ferrum's lead to 4-0.
 
The Panthers tacked on a single run in the second for a 5-0 lead before MU's offense struck.
 
In the third inning, Cody Molosky drew a leadoff walk for the Monarchs and found himself at third after Chris Power singled down the line in right. Alex Rodriguez drove in Molosky with a single to right and Power moved up to third. With one out, Matt Jack drove in Power with a base hit to right for a 5-2 game, and Ray Lanners followed with a walk that loaded the bases. The Panthers were able to induce a inning-ending double play that halted the threat.
 
Ferrum's lead grew to 6-2 in the top of the sixth, but the Monarchs answered with a pair of runs in the bottom of the frame. A walk to Jack and a double by Lanners gave MU two men on with nobody out. Stephen Nalls used a bunt to score Jack and move Lanners to third base and put the score at 6-3. Pete Wildeboer drew a walk to once again give MU two runners aboard, and Steven Kirby hit a sacrifice fly to center that allowed Lanners to score and make it 6-4 before the Panthers were able to escape the inning.
 
Any hopes of a rally were doused as FC scored a single run in the seventh and added two more in the eighth inning to account for the scoring.
 
Leggett took the loss (0-1) as he allowed five runs (1 ER) on seven hits in 2.0 innings. Daniel Royer threw 4.0 innings in relief and allowed one run on three hits and a walk. Rett Lee pitched for 1.2 innings and surrendered three runs on six hits and a walk with two strikeouts. Logan Haines finished the last 1.1 innings for Methodist and allowed no hits.
 
Jake Perkins started for Ferrum and picked up the win (2-0). He gave up four runs on four hits and six walks while striking out three. Three different FC relievers combined to toss 3.1 shutout innings.
 
Power was 2-for-4 with a walk and a run scored for MU. Jack finished 1-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored, while Lanners finished 1-for-3 with a double, a run scored and a walk.
 
Reynolds and Taylor Davis each had three base hits for Ferrum. Reynolds drove in three and scored twice, while Comer finished 2-for-4 with three runs scored.
 
In the nightcap, Ferrum was the first to get on the scoreboard in the top of the fourth inning. Deaver drew a walk and was advanced to second on a Reynolds groundout and was brought home on the next play as Davis singled through the right side to put FC ahead 1-0.
 
In the fifth inning, Colin Ford drew a lead-off walk and was advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt laid down by Davis Cass. Molosky loaded the bases after being hit by a pitch, and all runners were advanced 90 feet on a single by Power. Rodriguez used a single in the infield to even up the score 1-1 by bringing Ford home. The inning ended on the next play as Rodriguez was caught stealing.
 
Duncan added another tally on the board for Ferrum in the top of the sixth inning, sending a lead-off home run over the left center fence.
 
Methodist grabbed the first lead of the game in the bottom of the sixth, tallying two runs. Lanners doubled to right field and was moved to third on a Tyler Hardee sacrifice bunt. Following a walk by Lanners, Wildeboer brought home Lanners with a sacrifice bunt, and the next batter, Ford, doubled to right field to score Nalls and put MU ahead, 3-2.
 
The Panthers tied the score once again in the top of the seventh, but the Monarchs responded in the bottom of the frame with four runs to go ahead 7-4. With the bases loaded, Davis walked Lanners, forcing Cass home. Hardee reached on the next play, and was advanced to second on an error by Ferrum, consequently scoring Rodriguez and Power. Despite a pitching change for the Panthers, the Monarchs were able to tack on one more run in the inning, as Nalls doubled down the right field line.
 
Ford singled to shortstop to begin the eighth inning for Methodist, and moved to second on a Cass groundout, and was eventually brought in by a Power single up the middle, to give the Green and Gold an 8-4 advantage.
 
The Panthers scored their last run in the top of the ninth, with an unearned run by Hall, who reached on a Methodist error.
 
Nick Norton (1-0) grabbed the win for the Monarchs, pitching the final 3.0 innings, allowing three hits and one run and added five strikeouts. Josh Howard started for Methodist and spent 5.0 innings on the mound, allowing two runs and four hits with six strikeouts. Aaron O'Neil saw 1.0 inning, allowing two runs.
 
Dillon Weaver started for Ferrum and pitched 5.1 innings, giving up two runs and four hits with five strikeouts, but Davis took the loss for the Panthers after pitching 0.1 innings and allowing three runs to score. Jason Washburn (1.0), Manny Torres (0.1) and Easton Riggs (1.0) all saw time on the mound for Ferrum, as well.
 
Ford finished 2-for-3 on the day, registering one RBI and one walk with two scored runs. Power was 2-for-3 with one RBI and Lanners added an RBI and drew two walks.
 
For Ferrum, both Duncan and Massie finished 2-for-4 with Duncan adding three RBI. Davis and Comer each contributed one RBI.
 
Methodist will finish the home series with Ferrum on Sunday with the first pitch scheduled for 2:00 pm.
 
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