LYNCHBURG, Va. -- The No. 20 Methodist baseball team fell short, 12-8, against Lynchburg at Fox Field on Tuesday afternoon.
 
With the result, the Monarchs drop to 10-2 on the season and see their nine-game winning streak come to an end. Meanwhile, the Hornets improve to 5-2 overall.
 
LC plated five runners on four hits in the first inning to take a 5-0 lead. The Monarchs got two back in the top of the second. Will May led off the frame with a single before Davis Cass and Jacob Austin loaded the bases. Parker Clayton and Matthias Carter each drew bases-loaded walks to bring in the runners, 5-2.
 
The Monarchs threatened to score in the third as Alex Kachler and Tucker Criswell each reached base to cause a pitching change, but the new pitcher forced two fly outs to leave both stranded.
 
Lynchburg added a run in the third and fourth innings to assume a 7-2 lead before picking up four runs in the sixth to go up 11-2.
 
May reached base on an error and came around to score on a triple to right-center field by Criswell, 11-3. The Hornets got the run back in the seventh, 12-3, as the Monarchs got another run in the eighth frame after a throwing error with two runners on, 12-4. In the top of the ninth inning, MU nearly batted around and took advantage of two errors by the Hornets to score four runs. Austin reached on an error and moved to third on a double by Clayton before Austin scored on a groundout by Ethan Carmack, 12-5. Carter also reached from a throwing error as Clayton scored, 12-6. Elliot Manley looped a pinch-hit single to left and Dylan Stowell loaded the bases with a walk. May walked to score a run and another run crossed the plate on a passed ball to bring the contest to a 12-8 score. Lynchburg brought in a new pitcher and he struck out the last two Monarchs to end the game.
 
Noah Latta (0-1) started on the hill, but only lasted 0.1 innings and yielded five runs on three hits with a pair of walks to take the loss. Eight pitchers saw the mound for MU in the loss as the Hornets tallied 15 hits on the day.
 
Michael Reiskind (1-0) threw 3.2 innings of scoreless relief and scattered four hits to receive the win. Ryan Irby started for the Hornets and went 2.1 innings, giving up two runs on one hit and walked three batters. Nick Norman entered with the bases loaded to record the final out and pick up his first save of the year.
 
Carmack, Clayton and Criswell each had multi-hit games, while May was 1 for 3 with an RBI and scored two runs with a pair of walks. MU hitters also reached base on seven errors by LC.
 
Methodist returns to action on Friday, March 2 at N.C. Wesleyan in the first of a three-game USA South series with first pitch scheduled for 3 pm.