FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. – The No. 17 Methodist University baseball team dropped both ends of a doubleheader with Virginia Wesleyan at Armstrong-Shelley Field on Tuesday.
 
The Monarchs (27-11) dropped game one, 6-4, before the Marlins (22-10) walked away with a 12-4 win in game two of the twinbill.
 
In the first contest of the day, the game remained scoreless until the fourth inning as Brady Fallon hit a two-out double and scored on a single by Deon Hammond, who eventually came around to score on a bases-loaded walk, 2-0. MU tied up the contest in the bottom of the frame. With two outs, Tucker Criswell walked and went to second on a wild pitch. Davis Cass then hit an RBI single to right to score Criswell before Jacob Austin doubled to right to drive in Cass, 2-2, on a ball that struck the glove of the right fielder.
 
Va. Wesleyan responded with three runs in the fifth to jump out to the 5-2 lead as it had two base hits to force a pitching change and scored two on a fielding error and another on a wild pitch, 5-2. In the home half of the frame, Alex Kachler doubled to center and scored on a double by Criswell, 5-3. Zack Clark drove in Brandon Kussmaul in the sixth as VWU stretched its advantage to 6-3. For MU, Will May reached on a fielder's choice and acame around to score on a single by Criswell as it cut the deficit to two runs, 6-4, but could not complete the comeback.
 
Tyler Brown was saddled with the loss after going 4.0 innings in a start. He allowed four runs (3 ER) on eight hits with two walks and a strikeout. Thomas Dean entered in the fifth and pitched 3.0 full innings of relief and surrendered two runs on four hits. Logan Haines tossed the final 2.0 innings and did not allow a run.
 
For the Marlins, Nick Bay earned the win after going 7.0 innings with six strikeouts. He allowed four runs on 10 hits and four walks. Glen Pizzanello picked up his fourth save of the season after pitching in the ninth and not allowing a base runner.
 
Kachler was 3 for 5 with a run scored, while Criswell was 2 for 4 with two RBI. Cass and Austin also had a pair of hits in the loss.
 
In game two, the Monarchs jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first inning as Kachler hit a sac fly to center to score Matthias Carter. The Marlins responded with three runs as they took advantage of two errors and a walk, 3-1. They added two more runs on three hits and an error in the third to take a 5-1 lead. MU got one run back in the home half of the frame as Kachler and May hit back-to-back doubles, 5-2.
 
The Marlins plated four runs on two hits and a pair of errors in the fifth inning to increase their lead to 9-3 and added three more in the eighth, 12-3. MU scored one in the bottom of the ninth as Dylan Stowell drove in Carter from second to set the final score of 12-4.
 
Tristen Luck surrendered five runs (2 ER) on three hits and a walk in 3.0 innings as he took the loss. Seven pitchers took the hill for MU.
 
Jay Crusemire pitched 7.0 innings and gave up three runs on 11 hits and struck out six to receive the win, while Andrew Lowe and Doug Avery each pitched 1.0 innings.
 
Carter finished the game 3 for 5 at the plate with an RBI and two runs scored. Ethan Carmack, Kachler, Elliot Manley and Austin all had two hits, while Stowell picked up his first hit.
 
Methodist returns to play on Saturday on Law Enforcement Appreciation Day with a doubleheader against Maryville at Armstrong-Shelley Field beginning at 1 pm.