FAYETTEVILLE, N.C.  In the 2021 softball season finale, fans at Price Field were treated to two consecutive pitchers' duels in the USA South Athletic Conference doubleheader between Methodist and visiting North Carolina Wesleyan College. The Battling Bishops won the first duel, 1-0, before claiming a nine-inning barn burner, 3-1.

Brittany Jones was brilliant in the first game despite the loss. She took a shutout into the sixth inning before N.C. Wesleyan scored one run. Jones, in her final collegiate start in the circle, gave up just three hits and two walks while striking out eight.

In Game 2, Alyssa Barwick was working on a no-hitter before giving up her first hit in the sixth inning. She also took a shutout into the sixth but an error led to the Battling Bishops' game-tying (unearned) run. Through nine innings, Barwick allowed just four hits, three walks, and one earned run while fanning five batters.

THE ESSENTIALS
Final scores: N.C. Wesleyan def. Methodist, 1-0; N.C. Wesleyan def. Methodist, 3-1 (9 Inn.)
Records: Methodist 10-26 (4-10 USA South); N.C. Wesleyan 17-15 (10-4)
Location: Price Field; Fayetteville, N.C.

GAME NOTES

• Prior to the start of Game 1, the Monarchs recognized their three graduating seniors: Sara Darling, Brittany Jones and Reagan Parks.
• N.C. Wesleyan scored two runs in the top of the ninth in the nightcap, thanks to two hits and an infield error. Meredith Mize was placed on second (tiebreaker rule) and she scored after a wild pitch and a single from Beth Braswell. Later, Braswell scored on a sacrifice fly after a throwing error had extended the inning.
• Methodist could not counter as the game ended on consecutive strikeouts and Maria Kollar on third base. The Monarchs had the perfect chance to win the game in the eighth inning with Brittany Jones at third base and one out. Caitlyn Holland hit the ball to the shortstop, who rocketed the throw home and by the narrowest of margins, Jones was tagged for an out.
• An error prevented Barwick from getting her first collegiate shutout. Logan Winstead logged a single in the sixth inning but a fielding error moved Winstead to third base before she scored on a sacrifice fly.
• The Monarchs had just taken the lead in the inning prior. Reagan Parks had a lead-off single before advancing to third on a sacrifice bunt and a wild pitch. A single to right field from Taylor Jones easily scored Parks.
• There was another play that resulted in an out at home plate. In the second inning, Parks singled to shallow left field and Holland tried to score from second base but was thrown out by the left fielder. Those two outs are not a part of the 10 runners Methodist left stranded in the second game. Four of those runners were in scoring position.
• In Game 1, N.C. Wesleyan scored in the sixth inning after a lead-off triple from Nichole Mooney and an RBI-single from Winstead. Braswell earned a shutout for the Battling Bishops. Until the sixth inning, Parks was the only Monarch to reach base against Braswell. Parks singled in the third and had a walk in the sixth. Finally, Bethany Junker contributed a hit in the sixth inning that moved Parks to second base, the first time a Monarch was in scoring position. A flyout in the next at-bat left Parks stranded, however.
• In the seventh, Caitlyn Holland drew a walk to reach first base with one out. However, she was caught stealing before she could advance into scoring position.
• Brittany Jones' no-hitter bid was broken up after four innings by a Winstead single. Winstead advanced to third base on a sacrifice bunt but Jones recorded two outs to preserve the shutout for another inning.
• Braswell was in the pitcher's circle for both games to earn two wins. In Game 1, she surrendered two hits and two walks while fanning 10 batters and she struck out eight while giving up eight hits and one earned run in the second game.