MONTGOMERY, Ala. – The Methodist baseball team split a USA South doubleheader with host Huntingdon College on Saturday. The Monarchs edged the Hawks in the first game, 7-6, before falling to the host team 4-3 in the second. With the split, the Monarchs are now 9-6 overall and 4-4 in conference play, while Huntingdon moves to 10-4 on the season and 10-4 in the USA South.
The first two innings were scoreless for both teams in the first game, but Methodist gained a 1-0 lead in the top of the third, utilizing a RBI double to right center by
Chris Power, driving home
Colin Ford after he reached on a lead-off single.
Matt Jack pushed the Monarch's lead to 2-0 in the top of the fourth inning with a lead-off homerun.
Huntingdon made in on the board in the bottom of the fifth, when Anthony Spivey singled with two outs and the next batter, Will Pharis, doubled to left center to score Spivey and put the score at 2-1 in Methodist's favor.
The Hawks claimed the lead, 5-2, in the bottom of the sixth inning, tallying four runs on three hits. Coleson Taylor started the frame with a single to left field and was advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Landon Sessions. After a walk by Patrick Kucera, Alec Raley sent and RBI single through the left side to score Taylor. A Methodist error scored Kucera to make it 3-2 in Huntingdon's favor and a double to left center by Pharis scored two to bring their lead to 5-2.
After two three-up, three down innings for both teams, Methodist rallied in the top of the ninth to score five runs on two hits and three errors by the Hawks.
Steven Kirby started things off with a single to third and Jack advanced him to second after drawing a walk.
Stephen Nalls scored Kirby on the next at bat with a single through the left side. Pete WIldeboer reached on an error by the Huntingdon pitcher and pushed the two runners up a base.
Lucas Scott reached on an error by the shortstop, scoring Jack, and another error by the Hawks brought
Alex Dockery home, who pinch ran for Nalls, to tie the game at 5-5. After a walk by Ford, Wildeboer scored on a wild pitch to give the Monarchs the lead once more, 6-5. The Hawks intentionally walked Power on the next play, which did not work in their favor, as Mason Throneberry walked the next batter,
Alex Rodriguez, to score Scott and push MU's lead to 7-5.
Tyler Hardee claimed the win for the Monarchs, pitching 3.1 innings in relief for starting pitcher
Josh Howard, and allowed one run and three hits. Howard threw for the first 5.2 innings and gave up five runs and nine hits, adding three strikeouts.
Throneberry was saddled with the loss after pitching the final 1.0 innings, when three runs (0 ER) were scored on one allowed hit. Jackson Cruce started for the Hawks and spent 8.0 innings on the mound, giving up four runs and seven hits.
Jack was 2-for-3 with two runs scored and one RBI and walk and Ford was 1-for-3 with a run scored and one walk. Power, Rodriguez, Nalls and Scott all added one RBI.
Spivey finished 2-for-4 in the first game, adding two scored runs, while Taylor went 2-for-4 with one run scored.
The Monarchs held the lead throughout the entire second game until the bottom of the ninth inning when Huntingdon scored two runs to grab the win.
Methodist went ahead, 1-0, in the top of the first inning after lead-off batter, Power, doubled to right field and was brought home on a single through the left side by Kirby. The Monarchs scored again in the third inning, when Power was walked and then advanced to second when Rodriguez reached on an error by Huntingdon's first baseman. Kirby reached on a fielder's choice on the next play, with Rodriguez out at second, and Power moved to third. Another error by the Hawks allowed Power to score and the Monarchs pushed their lead to 2-0.
Huntingdon scored its first run of the game in the third inning, when a single by Jordan Freeman scored Kucera after he reached on a single to right center, and was advanced to second on the next play.
After two quiet innings, the Hawks tied the game at 2-2. Spivey began the bottom half of the frame with a single down the right field line and moved to second on a wild pitch and a ground out by Victor Taylor scored him on the next play.
Ray Lanners singled up the middle to begin the top of the seventh, and two batters later, Power brought him home on a RBI single to give Methodist the lead again at 3-2.
The Monarchs had a chance to score again in the top of the ninth when the bases were loaded, but Huntingdon's defense was able to throw Nalls out at home to avoid the run.
Gunnar Peters started with a lead-off single in the top of the ninth and was pushed to second and then third on a Methodist error, as Sessions reached on a fielder's choice. Kucera loaded the bases with a walk and a single up the middle by Raley knotted the game up at 3-3. With the bases still loaded, the Hawks grabbed the 4-3 win on the next play as Freeman was hit by a pitch, forcing Sessions home.
Trey Worthington took the win for Huntingdon, pitching for a perfect 0.1 innings.
Logan Haines left with the loss for MU, throwing 0.2 innings and giving up two runs and two hits.
Travis Johnson started on the mound for the Monarchs and pitched 7.0 innings, allowing two runs and five hits.
Ross Leggett was also used in relief, and pitched 0.1 innings with no runs or hits allowed.
Power finished 2-for-3 in the second game and added two scored runs and one RBI and Lanners went 2-for-3 with one run scored. Kirby added an RBI and a walk.
Freeman was 2-for-4 with two RBI for the Hawks and Kucera was 1-for-3 with one run scored. Raley and Victor Taylor each added an RBI.
The Monarchs will meet the Hawks for the series finale on Sunday in a single game beginning at 12:00 pm.
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