FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. -- The Methodist University baseball team took advantage of eight errors and recorded 11 hits on its way to a 12-5 victory against No. 13 Keystone in the first day of the Armstrong/Diamond Invitational on Friday night.
 
With the win, the Monarchs improve to 3-1 on the season, while the Giants begin the year 0-1.
 
MU took an early 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first as Alex Kachler hit his second three-run homer in as many games to score Matthias Carter and Clay Richardson, 3-0.
 
KC recorded three hits in the top of the second frame and took advantage of an error to tie the game, 3-3, capped by a two-out, two-run single by Chris Panzarella. In the home half of the inning, Methodist plated a run after a deep fly out allowed Jacob Austin to move to third and advanced on a throwing error by the right fielder. Austin previously reached base on a fielding error and moved to second on a throwing error. Elliot Manley reached base on a throwing error before coming around to score on a pair of wild pitches as MU assumed a 5-3 lead. The Giants did not allow a hit, but committed five errors in the inning.
 
Ethan Carmack started the fifth inning with a double down the right field line. He came around to score after a sacrifice bunt was laid down, but was thrown over the head of the first baseman, 6-3. Clayton put down another bunt, which put runners on the corners, before stealing second. Manley drew a walk, but the pitch got away from the catcher allowing Austin and Clayton to move up a base, 7-3. Richardson, who was the next batter, recorded a sacrifice fly to left field that plated Clayton and Manley scored on a wild pitch to put the Monarchs up, 9-3.
 
The Giants started the visitor side of the sixth with a double and a walk to put runners on first and second. Clayton Brooks lined out to Tucker Criswell at first who tagged out the runner at first and threw over to second for the force out, turning a triple play. It was the first triple play for the Monarchs since 2009 when they turned two in a four-game stretch.
 
Keystone loaded the bases in the seventh inning and plated one runner on a walk, 9-4, and scored another on a fielder's choice in an attempted double play, 9-5. The Monarchs also added three more runs in the eighth inning on three hits and a throwing error to get to the final score of 12-5.
 
Tyler Brown (2-0) tossed 6.0 innings and yielded three runs (0 ER) on seven hits with four strikeouts to earn the win. Three other Monarch pitchers took the hill in the victory, including Hunter Barnes who threw 1.0 inning and struck out two.
 
Dakota McFadden (0-1) was strapped with the loss after allowing five runs (3 ER) on four hits with three walks and three strikeouts in 4.0 innings on the mound.
 
For the Monarchs, Matthias Carter was 4 for 5 with an RBI and a run scored, while Carmack was 2 for 3 with two runs scored. MU combined for 11 hits. For Keystone, Panzarella and McFadden were each 2 for 4 at the plate, while Bray Curreri scored twice.
 
Weather permitting, Methodist returns to action tomorrow, Feb. 17, against DeSales. The Armstrong/Diamond Invitational continues at 10 am as Keystone takes on Christopher Newport.