FAYETTEVILLE, N.C.  The Methodist softball team earned two thrilling Senior Day victories over Southern Virginia University on Friday. The Monarchs edged out the Knights in game one for a 3-1 win, then mercy-ruled them in the second game for an 11-1 thrashing.

THE ESSENTIALS
Final scores: Methodist def. Southern Virginia, 3-1; Methodist def. Southern Virginia, 11-1 (6 innings)
Records: Methodist 14-18 (5-9 USA South); Southern Virginia 19-17 (5-11)
Location: Fayetteville, North Carolina

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The first game saw the teams in a 0-0 deadlock through three innings before the Knights took the lead in the top of the fourth with a single up the middle that drove in one run. In the bottom of the fourth, the Monarchs captured the lead, scoring two runs: one driven in by Heather Tsapp who singled with the bases loaded, and one scored on a sac fly by Alyssa Rivas.
• Methodist worked its way out of a bases-loaded, no-outs situation in the top of the sixth, then scored one more run in the bottom frame on a sac fly by Haley Downes. The Monarchs again allowed the Knights to load the bases in the top of the seventh, but Emma Neeley secured the win by striking out the final batter of the ballgame.
• The Knights started out game two with three singles to load the bases in the top of the first, but the Monarchs escaped again with the bases juiced. In the bottom of the inning, Alexandra Edwards got the action started with a leadoff solo homerun over the rightfield fence – her first collegiate homer.
• In the top of the second, Methodist walked in a run, but followed that with two more runs in the bottom of the inning that scored on a throwing error by the Southern Virginia third baseman. The Monarchs held their 3-1 lead until the bottom of the sixth, when the offense exploded for six hits.
• Emily Angel laid down a bunt to squeeze one run in, followed by a sac fly by Maria Kollar that scored another. A triple by Edwards scored two more to give the Monarchs a 7-1 lead. With the next two batters reaching base on a walk and a hit-by-pitch, Sydney Sizemore stepped up to the plate and knocked a hit into right field that allowed her to reach second and scored two runs. In an attempt to throw out Haley Fethke on her way to third, Southern Virginia's right fielder committed a throwing error, losing the ball past the third baseman and allowing both Fethke and Sizemore to score. The four-run play put the Monarchs up by ten in the bottom of the sixth inning, granting Methodist the victory thanks to the conference run rule.

NUMBERS

• Seniors Claire Cummings, Heather Tsapp and Maria Kollar all recorded a hit in the first game. Tsapp was also responsible for an RBI, while Cummings was responsible for a run scored.
• Sydney Sizemore and Alexandra Edwards led the Monarchs in game two with two hits each. Edwards recorded a homerun and a triple, leading to three RBI.
• Emma Neeley and Alyssa Barwick each had a successful day on the pitcher's rubber for Methodist. Neeley tossed seven innings and gave up one run on seven hits, while Barwick threw for six frames and conceded no earned runs on seven hits.

UP NEXT
Methodist travels to Salem College for its next doubleheader on Saturday, April 29 beginning at 1 p.m.