DEMOREST, Ga. -- The Methodist baseball team was eliminated Thursday afternoon from the NCAA South Regional at the hands of Emory University by a score of 8-1.
 
The loss brings the Monarchs' season to an end with a final record of 32-10 that saw the team win the USA South Conference championship.
 
The Eagles (27-13) jumped out to an early 1-0 lead, scoring on an RBI single by Wilson Morgan in the first. The Monarchs responded in the home half of the inning, tallying their lone run of the game and tying the score at 1-1. With two outs, Steven Kirby singled through the left side and stole second on the next play. After a Matt Jack walk, Ray Lanners singled to right center, bringing Kirby home.
 
After tacking on a run in the third on a Methodist error, Emory tallied three runs in the top of the fifth for a 5-1 advantage. Wes Peacock started the inning with a bang, sending a solo home run to left field to push the Eagles ahead, 3-1. Four consecutive singles by Emory tallied two more runs, forcing a pitching change for Methodist. Ross Leggett entered the game in relief of starting pitcher, Travis Johnson, and retired the next two batters with a strikeout and a fly out to end the inning.
 
The Monarchs had a chance to score in the bottom of the fifth with Chris Power on second and Cody Molosky on third, but Emory's starting pitcher, Connor Dillman, stopped the Green and Gold with an Alex Rodriguez strikeout.
 
Emory tacked on three late-inning insurance runs, one in the eighth and two in the ninth, to ensure a 8-1 victory.
 
The Monarchs were only able to muster four hits at the hands of Dillman (7-4), as he pitched 8.0 innings with one run allowed and three strikeouts and five walks to earn the win.
 
Johnson (8-2) was handed the loss after pitching the first 4.1 innings and allowing five runs on 12 hits with two strikeouts and a walk. Methodist unloaded its bullpen, sending in Leggett, Michael Inman, Tyler Hardee and Madison Cook in relief. Combined the relief pitchers allowed seven hits and three runs with four strikeouts and four walks.
 
Power, Kirby, Lanners and Molosky each contributed a hit for the Monarchs with Kirby crossing the plate once and Lanners registering one RBI.
 
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