FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. Jacob Austin had a team-high five hits on the day as Methodist baseball split the Saturday non-conference doubleheader against visiting Hanover College, winning the first game 6-4 but dropping the second game, 3-1.
In both games, the Monarchs had to attempt to recover from an early deficit. In Game 1, Methodist rallied from a 4-1, fourth-inning deficit. In the nightcap, the three runs scored by the Panthers in the first inning stood as the winning runs.
Jacob Austin went 3-for-5 with a double and a stolen base in the win. In the second game, he scored the team's only run after going 2-for-4 with a triple.
Hunter Barnes pitched 5.1 innings in relief for the win, striking out a career-high 10 batters while allowing just four hits. In Game 2,
Tyler Brown, putting aside the first inning, struck out nine and pitched five innings of scoreless baseball.
THE ESSENTIALS
Final score: Methodist def. Hanover, 6-4; Hanover def. Methodist, 3-1
Records: Methodist 11-6, Hanover 6-6
Location: Armstrong-Shelley Field; Fayetteville, N.C.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Methodist trailed for the majority of Game 1 before a four-run seventh inning allowed the Monarchs to claim the lead. Trailing 4-2, consecutive singles from Austin and Alex Kachler plus a walk from Tucker Criswell gave the Monarchs a bases loaded situation.
- With two outs, Clay Richardson had to battle back from an 0-2 count to place a single through the right side to tie the game at 4-4. His two-RBI base hit came with the count at 2-2.
- Richardson should have been awarded a third RBI when his "botched" steal attempt drew the attention of the Panthers' defense, enough to score Rob Wilkerson, the game-winning run from third base on a delayed steal. An absolutely perfect bunt from Christian Yarbrough scored Richardson for the 6-4 lead. The bunt stayed fair along the third base line to register as a hit.
- In Game 1, the Monarchs had to recover from a three-hit, two-run first inning from Hanover and a fourth inning in which Hanover drew four walks for two more scores.
- In the nightcap, Methodist also found itself trailing early following the first inning. The Panthers opened the game by converting two walks and two hits into three runs.
- Methodist finally got on the board in the sixth inning of Game 2 after a lead off triple from Austin followed by an Alex Kachler sacrifice fly. The Monarchs' best chance to tie came in the eighth inning with Austin at second and Kachler as the game-tying run at the plate.
STAT FACTS
- Tucker Criswell had one hit in Game 1 and two in the second game.
- Kachler and Wilkerson recorded a hit in each of the games.
- Richardson, Yarbrough, and Wesley Hall each had two base hits in the first game. Richardson also recorded two steals in that game.
- Brown was a strikeout shy of tying his career-high for strikeouts in a game.
- In the second game, Lance Fuerstenberg was perfect in his three innings. He did not allow a hit or a walk while recording four punchouts.
UP NEXT
The Monarchs will finish up this three-game home series against Hanover with a Sunday game at 12 p.m. After that, it is a return to USA South Athletic Conference play when Methodist goes on the road to take on Maryville (Tenn.) in a three-game series starting March 14 at 1 p.m.
