LYNCHBURG, Va. -- The Methodist softball team dropped both ends of its season opener against host Lynchburg College on Saturday afternoon. The Hornets won game one 3-2, and captured game two, 4-0.
 
After three scoreless innings in the first game, the Monarchs (0-2) were the first to reach the board in the top of the fourth, gaining a 2-0 lead. Alanna Anderson led off the inning, reaching first on an error by Lynchburg's (2-0) second baseman. Two outs later, Alyson Aycock doubled to left field, scoring Kristen Emrich, who pinch-ran for Anderson, and a single by the next batter, Emily Hester, scored Aycock, but was thrown out at second to end the inning and Methodist's scoring for the game.
 
Lynchburg answered with two runs in the bottom of the fifth, starting with Kayla St. John's one-run homer to left. After Nicole Riley drew a walk and Danielle Powell was hit by a pitch, Mackenzie Chitwood lined out to third, but a single but Lauren Smith to right would score Riley and tie the game, 2-2.  
 
The Hornets tallied their last run in the bottom of the sixth. Leslie Bourgeois led off with a single to right and a sacrifice bunt by Amy Bresson advanced her to second. A ground-out by Skylar Dickens pushed Bourgeois to third, and after the Monarchs intentionally walked St. John, a single by Riley scored Bourgeois, and the Hornets took the lead, 3-2.
 
Heather Williams was 2-for-2 for the Monarchs with one walk and Hester was 1-for-2 with one RBI. Aycock was 1-for-3 and tallied one RBI and scored once.
 
St. John was 1-for-1 and Riley was 1-for-2, and each scored once and recorded one RBI.
 
Sydney Foland started on the mound for the Monarchs, pitching the first 4.1 innings and allowed two runs on three hits with five walks. Nicole Heinrich (0-1) pitched the last 1.2 innings, receiving the loss after allowing one run on three hits.
 
Conner English (1-0) took the win for the Hornets, allowing two runs on four hits with six strikeouts in all 7.0 innings pitched.
 
In game two, Lynchburg's starting pitcher, Kirsten Copley (1-0) tossed a one-hit shutout, earning the 4-0 win.
 
Lynchburg's first two runs came from back-to-back home runs in the bottom of the first by Powell and Chitwood.
 
Methodist tallied its lone hit in the top of the second as Kristen Bailly sent a base knock through the right side.
 
The Hornets went ahead, 3-0, in the bottom of the second as Dickens hit an RBI double down the left-field line, scoring Piazza, who reached on a Methodist error. The final run of the day came in the bottom of the fourth when St. John doubled to left field, scoring Dickens, who had also reached on a throwing error.
 
Christine Bowman (0-1) was handed the loss, allowing four runs on five hits with two strikeouts in 5.0 innings on the mound. Jordan Pietrolaj entered the game for the final 2.0 innings and did not allow any hits, striking out one.
 
The Monarchs will begin play at home on Feb. 27 as it hosts Messiah in a doubleheader beginning at 12:00 pm.
 
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