Softball | 3/13/2016 8:01:00 PM

Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 | Box Score 3 | Box Score 4 COLUMBUS, Ga. -- The Methodist softball team traveled to Columbus, Ga. over the weekend to compete in six total games in the NFCA Leadoff Classic. The Monarchs return to Fayetteville after going 1-5, making their overall record 4-12.
 
After suffering two losses on Friday, 0-9 to St. Thomas and 0-1 to Alma, MU dropped another pair of games on Saturday, 6-10 to Lake Forest and 4-7 to Illinois Wesleyan. The Green and Gold picked up its lone win of the weekend Sunday morning, an eight-inning 2-1 fight over SUNY Oneonta, but then fell, 0-3, to Kean to close out tournament play.
 
In the loss to Lake Forest, the Monarchs scored all of their runs in the top of the fifth inning with two outs on the board to take the lead 6-5. Back-to-back walks by Elizabeth Toler and Savannah Dunn put runners in scoring position and a single by Emily Hester loaded the bases. Singles by Heather Williams and Alanna Anderson scored Toler and Dunn and two errors by the Foresters during Alyson Aycock's at bat allowed all runners to score. Lake Forest tacked on two runs in the bottom of the fifth to regain the lead, and then three more in the sixth to insure the 10-6 win.
 
Williams was 2-for-4 with an RBI and run scored and Hester and Anderson were both 1-for-4. Sydney Foland (1-2) took the loss for MU, tossing 1.2 innings in relief of starting pitcher, Nicole Heinrich, allowing five runs (3 ER) on four hits with two strikeouts.
 
Lake Forest's starting pitcher, Jessi Werner (3-2), earned the win after giving up no runs with just two hits and tallied 10 strikeouts in her 6.1 innings on the mound.
 
In the 4-7 loss to Illinois Wesleyan, the Monarchs came within one run twice, but were unable to catch the Titans. Danielle Brendes hit her first career home run, a three run bomb to left field, in the bottom of the third and Heather Williams also homered to left in the fifth to account for Methodist's runs.
 
Hester (1-2) was saddled with the loss, tossing the first 2.0 innings and giving up four runs on five hits.
 
In Sunday's first game, the 2-1 win over SUNY Oneonta, the Monarchs were the first to get on the board in the top of the first inning. With one out, Hester drew a walk and advanced to second on a wild pitch. A fly out by Natalie High pushed her to third, and another wild pitch plater her for the 1-0 MU lead. After four innings of scoreless play for either team, the Red Dragons knotted things up, 1-1, in the bottom of the sixth on an RBI double by Katie O'Gorman. Neither team was able to score in the seventh, forcing extra innings.
 
In the eighth, Williams was placed on second to start and a sacrifice bunt by Anderson advanced her to third. After High reached on a fielder's choice, a ground out by Kristen Bailly brought Williams home for the Monarch 2-1 lead and eventual winning score.
 
Bailly finished 2-for-4 with one RBI and Kelsey Harrington drew two walks.
 
Heinrich (2-4) pitched all 8.0 innings and allowed one run on just two hits with three strikeouts.
 
In the final game of the Leadoff Classic for Methodist, the Monarchs came up short, 0-3, to Kean University. The Cougars capitalized on two errors by Methodist and an RBI double by Dana Knapp to tally their runs.
 
Aycock went 2-for-3 and Bailly and Kristen Emrich each were 1-for-3.
 
Hester took the loss, tossing all 7.0 innings and allowing the three runs on six hits with four strikeouts and just one walk.
 
Methodist will return to home play on Mar. 17 as it hosts Randolph-Macon in a non-conference doubleheader beginning at 3:00 p.m.
 
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