FAYETTEVILLE, N.C.  Methodist softball earned its first win of the season with Sunday's 2-1 last-at-bat victory over visiting Ferrum College in the nightcap of a non-conference doubleheader at Price Field.

Ashley Benge knocked in the game-tying RBI with two outs in the bottom of the seventh, then finished off the victory with a steal of third and an advancement on an error, sliding into the plate head first to beat the throw.

The Monarchs nearly earned that elusive first victory in the day's opener against the Panthers, leading 5-4 heading into the sixth inning before surrendering the tying run in that frame, and the game-winning run in the top of the eighth in the extra-inning heartbreak.

THE ESSENTIALS
Final scores: Ferrum def. Methodist, 6-5 (8 inn.); Methodist def. Ferrum, 2-1
Records: Methodist 1-7, Ferrum 2-2
Location: Price Field; Fayetteville, N.C.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Ferrum broke a scoreless deadlock with a solitary run in the top of the seventh in Game 2, finally getting to Methodist starting pitcher Lindsey Champion who had limited the Panthers to just three hits and three walks while fanning one over six strong innings of work in the circle.
• A pair of hits off Champion plated the first run of the game and forced a pitching change, after which Brittany Jones stranded an inherited baserunner in stamping out the fire with two, quick outs.
• Champion re-entered the game as a pinch-hitter for Jones in the bottom of the seventh, finding a gap in short, right-centerfield for a one-out single.
• Savannah Dunn entered the game as a pinch-runner for Champion, and soon advanced to second on an infield ground out.
• Down to its last out, Methodist turned to Benge, who went 1-for-4 with 2 RBI in the opener, and had already singled earlier in Game 2. Benge doubled into left field, advancing Dunn for the game-tying run. And with a steal of third base, forced a fielding error by the third baseman and jumped to her feet for the opportunity for the game-winning run.
• Benge beat a throw toward the plate but hit the dirt anyway, then climbed to her knees before being mobbed by teammates.
• Game 1 started off with a bang from the Monarchs, who scored three times in the bottom of the first to take the lead.
• Ferrum scored four runs in the top of the third against Methodist starting pitcher Jordyn Propst, but surrendered the lead in the bottom of the frame on a Benge double that scored Kelsey Smith and Bri Caton.
• Ferrum tied the game with two outs in the sixth, then stole the victory with a run in the eighth.

BOX IT UP

• Benge finished the day 3-for-7 with 3 RBI and a run scored.
• Benge collected a pair of doubles, one in each game, and Blythe Best picked up an extra-base hit in the opener with a double of her own.
• Smith went 2-for-4 with a pair of RBI and a run scored in the Game 1 defeat.
• In addition to her strong outing in Game 2, Champion had relieved Propst in the opener and surrendered only two hits in 2.2 innings, while picking up a strikeout without allowing a base on balls.
• Jones was the hard-luck recipient of the loss in Game 1, giving up the two singular runs in the sixth and eighth against just two hits and two walks allowed over 3.0 innings of work.

NEXT UP

• Methodist will square off with the Bruins from Piedmont International University on Thursday at Price Field, with Game 1 of the twin bill beginning at 2 p.m.
• At four-game trip to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, is next for Ferrum, starting with a March 2 neutral-site contest against University of Michigan-Dearborn.