FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. – The Methodist baseball team snapped its seven-game losing streak with an 8-7 come-from-behind win over Huntingdon College on Friday evening at Armstrong-Shelley Field.
With the win, the Monarchs improve to a 17-14 overall record and an even 8-8 in conference, while the Hawks fall to 19-14 overall and 8-7 in league play.
The Hawks were the first to score, tallying three runs in the top of the second on a two-RBI single through the right side by Landon Sessions and a sacrifice bunt by Josh Hines.
With two outs on the board, Methodist came within one in the bottom of the third, 3-2. Back-to-back singles by Alex Dockery and Alex Rodriguez put runners in scoring position and a failed pick-off attempt by the Hawks starting pitcher, Zach McGrady, pushed the runners to second and third. An RBI-single down the left-field line by Lucas Scott scored the two Monarchs.
After the Hawks tacked on another three in the top of the fifth, Rodriguez sent a one-run homer over the right-field wall in the bottom of the frame to bring the score to 6-3 in Huntingdon's favor.
The Hawks added one more on a home run by Patrick Kucera in the seventh before the Monarchs rallied in the bottom of the eighth to gain the lead, 8-7. Davis Cass led the inning off with a single up the middle and after a fly out by Stephen Nalls, Ray Lanners reached on a fielder's choice and an error by the Hawks allowed Cass to make it safely to second. Consecutive singles by Tyler Hardee and Will May scored Cass and Lanners, and a walk by Brennan Brown loaded the bases. After a pitching change by Huntingdon and a strikeout by Dockery, Rodriguez sent a two-RBI double to left to score two and knot things up, 7-7, and an RBI-single by Scott pushed the Monarchs to an 8-7 lead and eventual win.
On the day, Rodriguez and Scott were both 3-for-5 with three RBI and Rodriguez scored twice. Lanners was 2-for-4 with one run scored and Cass was 2-for-5 and scored once.
Kucera was 2-for-4 with an RBI and two runs scored and Alex Raley was 2-for-4 and score once.
Noah Dawson took the win after pitching the eighth inning and allowing no runs or hits and Thomas Dean earned his first save of the year tossing the ninth inning and allowing one hit. Travis Johnson pitched the first 6.0 innings for the Monarchs and allowed six runs (5 ER) on six hits with seven strikeouts. Aaron O'Neil entered for 1.0 innings in relief of Johnson and allowed one run on one hit.
McGrady was charged with the loss after tossing the first 7.1 innings and allowing all eight runs on 12 hits with five strikeouts. Kucera entered in relief for 0.2 innings and allowed two hits with one strikeouts.
The two teams will continue the three-game series tomorrow with a single game at 2:00 pm.
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