FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. -- The Methodist softball team was swept in a doubleheader by Lynchburg on Saturday afternoon at Price Field. The Monarchs fell, 5-0, in game one, then dropped game two 14-2 in six innings.
 
The Hornets (3-1) used three home runs over the two-game series to power past the Monarchs (0-6) and record the sweep.
 
In the opener, Lynchburg took a 1-0 lead in the second inning on a sacrifice fly by Lauren Smith, but the key play came in the following inning. A triple, a single and a walk loaded the bases with one out before Taylor Mabry launched a grand slam to left center to push LC's lead to 5-0.
 
The Monarchs loaded the bases with two outs in the fourth on singles by Chloe Hespeler, Aly Thomas and Lindsey Champion, but Stephanie Hogan, who had come in as a relief pitcher to start the inning, got a strikeout to end the threat. Methodist had another chance in the seventh, getting two runners on with two outs, but a fielder's choice ended the contest.
 
Hespleler started in the circle for MU and took the loss (0-3). She allowed five runs on six hits with two walks in 3.0 innings. Champion pitched the final 4.0 innings, allowing three hits and a walk with one strikeout. Hogan picked up the win (1-0) with 4.0 innings of scoreless relief. She worked around six hits and struck out five.
 
Thomas was 2 for 3 at the plate for MU, and Samantha Jacobs was 1 for 4 with a double.
 
Skylar Dickens and Mabry each had two hits for LC, and Mackenzie Chitwood was 1 for 3 with a walk and a run.
 
In the nightcap, LC struck for single runs in the first and second innings for an early 2-0 lead. The Hornets added five runs in the fourth inning, on a three-run homer from Kayla St. John and a two-run shot off the bat of Chitwood to make it 7-0.
 
After Lynchburg tacked on two runs in the fifth, the Monarchs answered with a pair of runs in the bottom of the sixth as Jacobs drove in a run with a groundout, and Savannah Dunn scampered home on a wild pitch.
 
The Hornets finished off the run-rule win with five runs in top of the sixth, including two-run double by St. John.
 
Thomas took the loss for MU, giving up six runs (5 ER) on eight hits and a walk in 3.2 innings. Mabry was the winning pitcher, allowing just one hit and four walks with three strikeouts in 4.0 innings.
 
Jessica Orwick picked up the lone hit for MU, and Jacobs walked twice with an RBI.
 
Kayla Hugate was 3 for 5 with a run and an RBI for LC. Dickens was 2 for 4 with three runs, and St. John finished 3 for 4 with six RBI and two runs.
 
The Monarchs are back in action on Sunday when they host Bridgewater in a doubleheader beginning at 12:00 pm.