STAUNTON, Va. -- The Methodist softball team split a doubleheader at Mary Baldwin in USA South action on Thursday afternoon. The Monarchs claimed game one, 9-3, before dropping game two, 3-2.
 
The Monarchs move to 6-22 on the season behind a 3-9 mark in league play. Meanwhile, the Fighting Squirrels are now 5-13 overall with a 3-9 record in conference action.
 
In game one, MBU scored first in the second inning on a lead-off home run. In the following half-frame, the Monarchs tied the score. Allyson Aycock opened the third inning with a double down the right field line before crossing home plate on a single to center field by Samantha Jacobs, 1-1. The Fighting Squirrels responded with another run in the home half of the inning on another home run.
 
MU rallied in the fifth inning for four runs – all with two outs. With two outs, Savannah Dunn doubled to center, which allowed Aycock to score from first base to tie the game. Jacobs also doubled in the following at-bat to score Dunn before Emily Hester singled to right-center field to score Jacobs, 4-2. With two runners in scoring position, Hannah Key hit into a fielder's choice that allowed Hester to score from third before the final out of the inning was recorded on the play, 5-2. Methodist added two more runs in the sixth on a two-run homer by Aycock, her first of the season and the first for the team this year, 7-2.
 
The Green and Gold added a few insurance runs in the top of the seventh after an RBI single by Chloe Hespeler that scored Hester. Hespeler eventually scored  on an error, 9-2. MBU led off the bottom half of the frame with a home run, but could not close the deficit.
 
Aly Thomas claimed her second win of the season after throwing a complete game. She allowed three runs on 13 hits with one strikeout. Heather Mayes was strapped with the loss after also going the distance, but yielding nine runs on 13 hits with a pair of walks and two strikeouts.
 
Aycock went 3 for 3 with two RBI and three runs scored and drew a walk. Jacobs also drove in two runs, while Hester scored twice in game one. A total of five Monarchs posted a multi-hit game.
 
In game two, MBU got on the board first after hitting its fourth home run of the day to take a 2-0 lead. MU tied the game in the fifth inning on a two-run double by Hester, which scored Jacobs and Lori Martin who entered to run for Key, 2-2. The Fighting Squirrels took the lead in the home half of the sixth frame on a sacrifice fly to center field, 3-2, and held on for the win.
 
Hespeler pitched all 6.0 innings and scattered eight hits. She allowed three runs (2 ER) with two walks and a season-high five strikeouts in the loss. Courtney Gordon pitched a complete game and yielded two runs on five hits with four strikeouts and three walks in the victory.
 
Hester was 2 for 4 at the plate in game two with a pair of RBI. Carleigh Haywood also registered a hit as the Monarchs were held to five in the second half of the twinbill.
 
Methodist returns to action on Saturday, March 25, with a doubleheader against LaGrange at Price Field with the first game scheduled to begin at 1 pm.
 
 
 
 
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