FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. -- The Methodist softball team split an afternoon doubleheader with Ferrum on Monday. The Monarchs held off the Panthers, 9-7, in game one before falling, 2-1, in the nightcap.
 
In the opener, MU led 9-3 entering the top of the seventh inning an weathered a Ferrum rally to pull out the two-run win.
 
The Monarchs (17-17, 12-10 USA South) broke open a tie game in the fourth inning to take a 5-1 lead. Ally Griffin doubled with one out and moved up to third on Allyson Aycock's single. Alanna Anderson gave the Green and Gold the lead for good with a run-scoring single to left for a 2-1 lead. Pinch hitter Emily Hester came up with two outs and singled up the middle to make it 3-1 and Heather Williams made it 5-1 with a double to the wall in left center.
 
The Panthers got a run back in the fifth inning on Amanda Roberts' RBI single, but MU scored twice more in the bottom of the frame, courtesy of RBI singles by Aycock and Anderson, for a 7-2 lead.
 
Danielle Persson made it 7-3 when she drove in Heather Mayberry with a single in the sixth, but MU kept Ferrum at arm's length as Lindsay Tippett drove in Krista Zentner with a double, and Kristen Bailly hit a sacrifice fly to right to score Williams and make it 9-3.
 
In the top of the seventh, the Panthers opened with a walk and a double to put two runners on with no one out as MU starter Nicole Heinrich gave way to Monica Revels in the circle. Sarah Bowman followed with an RBI single that made it 9-4, and Mayberry singled home a run to put the score at 9-5 with still no outs.
 
Revels got Mika Smith to fly out, and Aiyana Lew to ground out to third for the first two outs. Pinch hitter Emily Nelson pulled Ferrum within a pair at 9-7 with a two-run single. Following a single by Amanda Roberts that brought the go-ahead run to the plate, Revels retired Amber Coffin on a fly ball to deep center field to end the game.
 
Heinrich picked up the win and improved to 7-6 on the year. She allowed five runs on nine hits and seven walks with one strikeout in 6.0 innings. Revels worked the final inning, surrendering two runs on four hits.
 
Emily Taylor was tagged with the loss. She started and lasted 3.2 innings, giving up five runs on five hits and a walk with one strikeout. Roberts pitched the final 2.1 innings and yielded four runs on six hits and two walks.
 
Aycock finished 3-for-4 with a pair of runs and one RBI. Griffin was 2-for-3 with a pair of RBI and a run scored, and Williams was 1-for-2 with two RBI, two runs and a stolen base. Anderson added two hits in three at bats with two RBI and a run.
 
Roberts finished 3-for-4 at the plate with an RBI and a run, and Mayberry was 2-for-3 with two runs and one driven in.
 
In game two, MU led 1-0 in the seventh inning, but Ferrum's Lindsey Slover hit a two-run home run to left center to provide the game-winning runs.
 
The late-inning homer spoiled a strong start by MU's Emily Hester, who took the loss (5-3) despite allowing just two runs on four hits and two walks with a strikeout in 7.0 innings. Courtney Rudd (8-2) had a strong game in the circle for the Panthers. She allowed one run on three hits and two walks with two strikeouts in 7.0 innings.
 
Methodist took a 1-0 lead on William's RBI single in the third that plated Kirsten Markow.
 
In the bottom of the seventh, Griffin drew a leadoff walk and moved up to second on a sacrifice bunt by Heinrich. Griffin gave MU the tying run at third as she advanced on a ground out by Anderson, put a pop foul off the bat of Markow ended the contest.
 
Williams, Tippet and Bailly all singled for the Monarchs.
 
For Ferrum, Coffin was 2-for-3, and Slover finished 1-for-2 with two RBI and a run.
 
Methodist's next game is slated for Saturday when it hosts LaGrange for a doubleheader beginning at 12:00 pm.