HIGH POINT, N.C. Methodist University baseball took part in a USA South Athletic Conference doubleheader on Sunday, March 24, as the team traveled to Greensboro College. Both teams claimed victory today with the Pride taking game one 7-6, in extras, followed by the Monarchs winning 11-2 in the second game.
THE ESSENTIALS
Final results: Greensboro def. Methodist, 7-6 (10 Inn.); Methodist def. Greensboro, 11-2
Records: Methodist 12-10 (4-2 USA South), Greensboro 14-8 (3-3)
Location: Truist Point; High Point, North Carolina
HOW IT HAPPENED – GAME 1
- For the second day in a row, Methodist got on the scoreboard first with two runs to open the game. The freshman duo of Banks Hartman, who doubled, and Brandon Mauger, an RBI single, were the ones responsible for tallying the first Monarch run of the day. The second Methodist run was able to cross home plate because of a Greensboro error.
- The Pride were also able to get on the board, in the bottom half of the inning, as three of the first four batters recorded base hits.
- Both teams registered another run in the fifth inning, with Mauger of the Monarchs collecting his second RBI on a double.
- An inning later, sixth, the two squads exchanged runs once again, this time two apiece. Driving in a run, with an RBI double, was Methodist's Austin Rinzel, then two batters later Hunter Hollman scored Rinzel on a single to center field.
- In the seventh, back-to-back singles follow by a walk loaded the bases for the Monarchs. Greensboro pitching staff was able to strikeout the next two Methodist batters and came close to getting out of the half inning unscathed. But a walk forced in a Monarch run before the third out was committed.
- With Methodist up 6-4, the Pride rallied to score two runs in the seventh to tie the ballgame and then walked it off, in the 10th, on a passed ball.
HOW IT HAPPENED – GAME 2
- Following a double by Hollman and a wild pitch, Hartman produced the first Methodist run on an RBI double. A couple of batters later, Mauger stepped up to the plate and doubled to left field to score Caleb Rogers, who reached on a single just one batter prior, from first base.
- In the second inning, a pair of Greensboro errors led to one run scoring for the Monarchs. An RBI groundout by Hollman scored another run, while an infield single by Hartman registered the third Methodist run of the inning, 5-0.
- Tristen Melvin increased the Monarchs advantage to 6-0, in the third inning, on an infield single, bunt, to score Mauger from third.
- Methodist tallied three more runs during the fourth inning. A suicide squeeze play by Rogers allowed Jackson Deal to score from third, then with bases loaded, Caleb Greene drove in two additional Monarchs on a base hit to right field.
- A sacrifice fly, in the fourth, and an RBI double, in the seventh, was how the Pride scored their two runs of the ballgame.
- Methodist finished the game by scoring one run in both the eighth and ninth innings. First, Melvin recorded his own sac fly followed by Hartman getting an RBI on a groundout.
STAT FACTS
- Registering three hits in each game today for Methodist was Hartman, going 6 for 11 overall with two doubles. He also recorded three RBIs and came around to score four times.
- The Monarchs out hit Greensboro 26 to 15 in the doubleheader, as Methodist had 13 hits in each contest.
- Methodist had excellent performances from their starting pitchers, Josh Plisko and Anthony Sarbanes. Plisko took the mound in game one and went six innings, giving up four runs (two earned) on six hits while striking out a career-high eight batters, in a no decision. Sarbanes, who got the win, was on the rubber in the second game, and he gave up one run, on six hits, through six innings of work and struck out seven members of the Pride.
UP NEXT
Methodist is off for a day before making a trip to Virginia to play the University of Lynchburg on Tuesday. First pitch is scheduled for 3:30 PM.
