FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. – Despite battling 20 mph winds with gusts up to 40 mph, the Methodist baseball team clinched the series over Huntingdon College on Saturday afternoon at Armstrong-Shelley Field with an 11-1 win.
The Monarchs (18-14, 8-8 USAS) were the first to make it on the board in the bottom of the second, tallying six runs on three hits. An error by the Hawks' second baseman allowed Stephen Nalls to reach and a walk drawn by Ray Lanners pushed him to second. A single through the right side by Tyler Hardee scored Nalls and a sacrifice bunt by Will May scored Lanners for a 2-0 Methodist lead. Brennan Brown was hit by a pitch and a bunt-single by Alex Dockery loaded the bases before Alex Rodriguez sent a two-RBI single to center to push the Monarchs ahead, 4-0. After a walk by Lucas Scott, another error by the Hawks on Davis Cass' hit allowed Dockery and Rodriguez to score to make it 6-0 in MU's favor.
With one out and Hardee on second in the bottom of the third, May tripled down the right-field line to plate Hardee and after a Huntingdon pitching change and a strikeout by Brown, Dockery singled to third base, scoring May and giving Methodist an 8-0 advantage.
Huntingdon (19-15, 8-8 USAS) tallied their first run of the game in the fourth when Anthony Spivey homered to left center.
The Monarchs tacked on three more insurance runs in the bottom of the seventh on RBI-singles by Dockery and Rodriguez and a sacrifice bunt by Scott for an 11-1 lead.
Rodriguez finished 4-for-5 with three RBI and one run scored and Hardee was 2-for-2 with one RBI, scored three times and drew two walks. Dockery was 3-for-3 with a pair of RBI and runs scored and May was 1-for-3 with two RBI and one run scored.
Spivey, Patrick Kucera and Mason Throneberry were all 1-for-2.
Starting pitcher Seth Beard earned the win after pitching 6.2 innings and allowing one run on just four hits with six strikeouts. Madison Cook entered for 0.1 innings and struck out one before Ross Leggett and Logan Haines each entered for 1.0 inning and gave up no runs or hits and recorded two and one strikeouts, respectively.
Zack Watson took the loss after pitching the first 2.1 innings and allowing eight runs on seven hits. C.J. Sauce pitched the next 4.0 innings and gave up three runs on four hits with four strikeouts. Brad Eckmyre and Dalton Dalrymple finished the remainder of the game and gave up one hit.
The two teams will conclude the three-game series tomorrow with first pitch scheduled for 12:00 pm. Prior to the game Methodist will honor its 10 seniors: Alex Rodriguez, Alex Dockery, Ross Leggett, Travis Johnson, Stephen Nalls, Adam Gunn, Ray Lanners, Aaron O'Neil, Nick Zieniuk and Chris Nichols.
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