FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. -- The Methodist baseball team opened USA South play with a 9-4 win against William Peace on Friday night at Armstrong-Shelley Field.
 
With the win, the Monarchs improve to 8-1 overall and 1-0 in conference action. Meanwhile, the Pacers fall to 5-4 and sit at 0-1 in league play.
 
Tyler Brown (3-0) started on the mound for MU and pitched 7.0 innings with four strikeouts. He yielded four runs (3 ER) and scattered six hits. Brown did not allow a hit until the sixth inning and did not walk a batter. Hunter Barnes and Thomas Dean each pitching 1.0 inning in relief and allowed just one hit in total.
 
Derek Johnson (3-1) was strapped with the loss after giving up eight runs (6 ER) on seven hits with two walks and three strikeouts in 3.1 innings. Jayce Stephenson tossed 4.0 inning in relief scattering three hits and holding the Monarchs scoreless.
 
Matthias Carter reached base after being hit by a pitch to start off the bottom of the first inning. He moved to second on a wild pitch and advanced to third after a miscue by the catcher when throwing the ball back to his pitcher. Carter scored a few pitches later on an RBI single by Clay Richardson. Richardson eventually came around to score on a ground ball hit by Tucker Criswell as MU took a 2-0 lead.
 
In the third inning, the Monarchs plated another runner after Richardson drew a one-out walk. He moved to second on a wild pitch and scored on an RBI double by Criswell, 3-0.
 
The Pacers scored a run in the top half of the fourth after Easton Parker reached on an error and stole second. He moved to third on a ground out and scored on a ground out as well, 3-1.
 
The Green and Gold batted around and took advantage of two errors from WPU to score six runs in the fourth frame. Parker Clayton started off the inning with a one-out triple before scoring on a bunt single from Ethan Carmack, 4-1. Carter walked and Richardson reached on a fielder's choice on a play where the Pacers attempted a double play, but the runner at second was called safe and the ensuing throw to first was errant, allowing Carmack to score from second, 5-1. Alex Kachler drove in Carmack and moved to second on an attempt at a play at the plate, 6-1, before Will May drove in Richardson, 7-1. Another run scored on a wild pitch before Jacob Austin finished the scoring with a two-out RBI single, 9-1.
 
Four-straight base hits to start the top of the eighth inning allowed the Pacers to cut the lead down to 9-4 with no outs, but a pitching change from MU sent down the visitors and left two runners on base.
 
Austin finished 3 for 5 at the plate, while Kachler went 3 for 4 with a walk. The Monarchs finished with 11 hits, while Richardson, Austin and Carter each scored two runs.
 
For the Pacers, Gavin Wheeler posted two hits, while Payton had two RBI.
 
Methodist and William Peace play again tomorrow, Feb. 24, at Armstrong-Shelley Field at 1 pm.