FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. – Averett's starting pitcher, Taylor Davis, held the Monarchs to just one hit in game one, ending Methodist's 15-game win streak. The home team lost, 4-0, in game one, before coming back to take the second game, 7-3.
Davis (6-1) saw the mound all 9.0 innings for the Cougars (22-9, 16-6 USAS), and struck out nine with three walks.
Averett struck first in the top of the second when Hunter Ashworth doubled to left center and a double by Chatham Currie scored him on the next at bat.
Lucas Scott registered the lone hit for Methodist, singling to second in the home half of the second.
Doubles by Davis and Nic Futrell in the third added another for AU and a failed pick-off attempt by Methodist allowed the Cougars to add one more, going ahead, 3-0.
After three scoreless innings, Averett added their last run on a single by Kevin Alvarez to grab the eventual winning score, 4-0.
Methodist's starting pitcher,
Josh Howard (6-1), pitched the first 6.2 innings and allowed four runs (3 ER) on 10 hits with 11 strikeouts and one walk.
Rett Lee entered in relief, tossing the last 2.1 innings, allowing two hits and striking out three with one walk.
Alvarez was 3-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored while Currie was 2-for-4 with an RBI.
Game two saw a different outcome, as the Monarchs outlasted the Cougars, 7-3.
The Monarchs were the first to reach the board, scoring one in the first on a double to right field by
Ray Lanners to plate
Alex Rodriguez, who singled through the left side.
Averett responded in the top of the second, tying the game 1-1 on a two-out single to right field by J.T. Crowder.
Methodist grabbed the lead and never let go in the bottom frame of the second, tallying three runs for a 4-1 lead. After
Stephen Nalls drew a lead-off walk, a sacrifice bunt by Scott advanced him to second and two batters later,
Chris Power singled up the middle to drive Nalls home. Back-to-back singles by Rodriguez and
Steven Kirby scored two more and the Cougars were able to stop the scoring by striking out Lanners.
A single by Timothy Coston in the third and a double by Ashworth in the fifth brought the deficit to just one run, 4-3, in Methodist's favor but the Monarchs pulled ahead, 6-3, in the bottom of the seventh. Singles by Kirby, Lanners, and
Pete Wildeboer loaded the bases and after a pitching change by the Cougars, Nalls walked to force Kirby home. After a strikeout by Scott and a foul out by
Tyler Hardee, Averett walked
Cody Molosky to push another run across home plate.
The Green and Gold tacked on an insurance run in the eighth to go head, 7-3, scoring on a double to right by Wildeboer.
Kirby finished 3-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored, while Rodriguez was 2-for-4 with two runs scored and an RBI. Lanners and Power both went 2-for-5 with an RBI and a run scored each, and Wildeboer was 2-for-4 with an RBI. Molosky added an RBI and Hardee tallied a scored run.
Crowder went 2-for-4 with an RBI and Coston was 2-for-5 with a run scored and an RBI.
Travis Johnson (6-1) earned the win for Methodist, tossing the first 7.0 innings and gave up just three runs on 13 hits with seven strikeouts and one walk.
Daniel Royer relieved Johnson in the eighth, and allowed one hit with two strikeouts.
AU's starting pitcher, T.J. Viracola (2-4), took the loss, pitching 6.0 innings and allowed six runs on 11 hits. Brandon Golf threw the last 2.0 innings, and gave up one run with three strikeouts and three walks.
The Monarchs and the Cougars will complete the USA South weekend series on Sunday beginning at 2:00 p.m.
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