FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. -- A Chris Power two-run triple to center field pushed the Methodist baseball team to victory over the Ferrum Panthers, 5-4, in the third and final game of the home series on Sunday at Armstrong-Shelley field.
 
Facing a 4-2 deficit with two outs in the bottom of the eighth inning, Methodist (5-4, 3-3 USA South) used back-to-back singles by Pete Wildeboer and Lucas Scott to put the Monarchs in scoring position. The next batter, Alex Dockery, laid out an infield single before advancing to second on a Ferrum (5-4, 3-3 USA South) overthrow to first, pushing Scott to third and scoring Wildeboer. Power brought home the tying and go-ahead runs with a shot to center field, giving Methodist what would be the final winning score of 5-4.
 
Ferrum went ahead 1-0 in the top of the first inning, when leadoff batter Kyle Hall singled to left field and then stole second, was moved to third on a sacrifice bunt by Ty Comer and scored on an Adam Duncan ground out.
 
In the third inning, the Green and Gold loaded the bases with nobody out, but a double play by Ferrum third baseman Comer, who made a diving catch of Ray Lanners' line drive and beat Dockery back to the bag at third. The Monarchs loaded the bases once more with a base knock by Matt Jack, but the Panthers were able to end the inning on the next play as Jack was retired at second on a fielder's choice.  
 
Clay Massie led off the fifth inning with a double to left field and was advanced two batters later on a ground out by Hall. Ferrum extended the lead, 2-0, on a Comer single up the middle, scoring Massie.
 
Methodist tied the game at 2-2 in the sixth. Matt Jack reached after being hit by a pitch and was lifted for pinch runner Cody Molosky, who then advanced to third on a failed pickoff attempt by Ferrum's Tyler Belcher. Steven Kirby drove in Molosky on an RBI single, and later scored on Wildeboer's RBI double to tie the score, 2-2.
 
Ferrum captured the lead again in the seventh, 3-2, using three singles to score Matt Murphy, who pinch ran for designated hitter, Nathan Reynolds. FC extended its lead to 4-2 the next inning, after Duncan singled to left field and was driven in by the next batter, Massie, who doubled to left field.
 
After taking the lead in the eighth, Tyler Hardee set the Panthers down in order to seal the win.
 
Hardee (1-1) claimed the win for the Monarchs, relieving starting pitcher Travis Johnson, who threw 6.2 innings and allowed three runs on seven hits with six strikeouts and two walks. Hardee gave up only one run on three hits in his 2.1 innings on the mound.
 
Alex Brown, the sixth relief pitcher for the Panthers, walked away with the loss, giving up three runs and three hits in 1.1 innings.
 
On the day, Wildeboer was 3-for-4, adding one RBI and a run scored for MU. Power was 2-for-5 with two RBI, while Alex Rodriguez finished 2-for-4 with a double.
 
Ferrum's Taylor Davis was 2-for-3 and drew one walk, while Comer and Massie both went 2-for-4 with one RBI each and Cassie adding a run scored.
 
Up next, Methodist will play host to Hampden-Sydney on Tuesday beginning at 4:00 pm.

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