FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. -- Strong performances by the Methodist baseball team's pitching staff lead to the Monarchs' 4-0 win over the visiting Marlins of Virginia Wesleyan College on Tuesday afternoon at Armstrong-Shelley Field.
 
The starting pitcher for the Green and Gold (10-7), Seth Beard, earned his first win of the season after tossing the first 5.0 innings and allowing just four hits. The sophomore also tallied a season-high 10 strikeouts, including six in the first two innings alone. Madison Cook entered for the next 3.1 innings, and gave up two hits with two strikeouts before Nick Norton finished the final 0.2 innings and earned his third save of the year, striking out one.
 
After two innings of scoreless play, the Monarchs grabbed a 1-0 advantage in the home half of the third inning. With one out, Alex Rodriguez singled through the left side and then stole second. After a flyout to left by Lucas Scott, Stephen Nalls sent a base knock through the right side, scoring Rodriguez for the lead.
 
Virginia Wesleyan's (9-5) closest chance of scoring came in the top of the fourth with bases loaded and just one out, but the Monarchs were able to convert the 643 double play on Matt Murray's hit to end the inning.
 
Methodist's final three runs came in the bottom of the eighth. After a Marlin pitching change, Nalls singled to right field and a groundout by Davis Cass advanced him to second, but it was a Ray Lanners single through the right side that scored him for the 2-0 lead. After Lanners stole second, a single to right by Tyler Hardee scored Lanners and a double to right center by the next batter, Pete Wildeboer, scored Lanners for the eventual 4-0 winning score.
 
On the day, Hardee finished 2-for-2 with an RBI and run scored and drew two walks and Nalls went 2-for-3 with one RBI and scored once. Lanners was 1-for-4 with an RBI and run scored and Rodriguez scored once.
 
For the Marlins, Randy Neisz was 2-for-2 and Justin Erby drew two walks.
 
Luke Chiasson (0-2) was given his second loss of the year after pitching the first 6.0 innings and allowing one run on four hits with three walks and two strikeouts. Tyler Floyd entered in relief for 1.0 innings and allowed one hit before Alan Johnson closed the final 1.0 innings and gave up three runs on four hits with two strikeouts.
 
Methodist will travel to Greensboro, N.C. to compete against Guilford at 3:00 p.m.
 
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