NORFOLK, Va. -- The Methodist baseball team was defeated by Virginia Wesleyan, 8-4, in nonconference play on Wednesday afternoon.
 
With the loss, the Monarchs drop to 14-15 on the season, while the Marlins improve to 12-11 overall.
 
VWC started the scoring in the bottom of the third inning. Jimmy Ziemke drew a lead-off walk before three-straight singles gave the Marlins a 2-0 lead. The home team crossed another runner on a sacrifice fly to increase the lead to 3-0. Va. Wesleyan added two more runs in the following inning on a two-run home run by Deon Hammond, his first of the season, before the Marlins tallied two more runs in the fifth frame on a two-run single by Corey King, 7-0.
 
After another run by Virginia Wesleyan gave the home side an 8-0 lead, the Monarchs manufactured two runs to bring the deficit down to six runs. Pete Wildeboer led off the seventh inning with a walk before advancing to second on a passed ball and moving to third on a wild pitch. Ethan Carmack drew a walk, which placed runners on the corners for Alex Kachler who line a two-run double to left field. Kachler eventually moved to third base, but was stranded to end the inning.
 
In the eighth inning, Tucker Criswell singled to center with one out before moving to second on a base hit by Wildeboer. Criswell scored on a throwing error by the short stop that allowed Wildeboer to move to third base and eventually score on a sacrifice fly by Carmack, 8-4.
 
Sam Berman was charged with the loss after tossing 1.0 inning on the mound and surrendering three runs on four hits. Greg Johnson started for the Monarchs and pitched the first inning and scattered two hits with a strikeout. In all, MU used seven pitchers in the loss.
 
For VWC, Chance Pauley earned his second win of the season. He threw 5.0 scoreless innings and allowed two hits with one walk and a strikeout. The Marlin bullpen yielded four runs on three hits with four walks and a wild pitch.
 
Five different Monarchs recorded a hit on Wednesday afternoon, including Matthias Carter who hit a double in the first inning and also drew two walks. Wildeboer scored two runs, while Kachler finished 1 for 3 at the plate with two RBI.
 
Methodist returns to action on Saturday, April 1, with a doubleheader against LaGrange at Armstrong-Shelley Field with game one scheduled to begin at 12 pm.
 
 
 
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