LYNCHBURG, Va. – The Methodist baseball team picked up its last road win of 2016 on Wednesday afternoon, a 7-2 victory over the host Hornets of Lynchburg College.
 
Methodist (20-16) grabbed an early 3-0 lead in the top of the first. Singles by Alex Rodriguez, Lucas Scott and Stephen Nalls loaded the bases and a ground out into a double play by Ray Lanners score Rodriguez. After a walk drawn by Tyler Hardee, a wild pitch by Lynchburg's (9-26) starting pitcher, Jake Conner, scored Scott and a double down the left-field line scored Hardee for the 3-0 advantage.
 
After four scoreless innings, Methodist tacked on two more runs in the top of the sixth on a sacrifice fly by Hardee and an RBI-single by Austin Fuentes, going ahead 5-0.
 
The Monarchs' last two runs came in the eighth when Caleb Lee singled to left field to score Hardee and Alex Dockery sent a sacrifice fly to center to plate Will May.
 
The Hornets tallied their first run of the game in the home half of the inning when Matt Ward launched the ball over the left-field fence.
 
Lynchburg was able to add one more in the bottom of the ninth when Ward doubled to left, scoring pinch runner Matthew Stevens for the final score of 7-2.
 
Hardee finished 1-for-3 with an RBI and two scored runs and Fuentes was 2-for-3 with one RBI. Lee went 2-for-2 with an RBI and Rodriguez was 2-for-4 and scored once.
 
Ward went 3-for-5 with two RBI and one scored run and Drew Taylor drew two walks.
 
Both teams emptied their bullpens, each using nine different pitchers. Methodist's win was awarded to Hardee (5-2) who pitched the first inning and allowed one hit with one strikeouts while Lynchburg's loss was given to Conner (0-2) who gave up three runs on five hits with a strikeout in two full innings.
 
Methodist will complete its 2016 campaign this weekend in a three-game series with Covenant beginning on Friday at 4:00 pm.
 
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