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Rinzel, Deal and Mauger jog off field at NCAA Regional
2
Methodist MUBB 34-15
9
Winner Messiah MESS 34-14
Methodist MUBB
34-15
2
Final
9
Messiah MESS
34-14
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Methodist MUBB 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 10 3
Messiah MESS 0 4 0 0 2 0 0 3 X 9 6 1

W: D. Dellinger (5-1) L: Sarbanes, Anthony (2-1)

Game Recap: Baseball | | Matthew Shealy

Methodist’s Regional Run Comes to an End

ASHLAND, Va.  With a spot in the Super Regionals on the line, the Methodist baseball team took the field against Messiah University on Sunday needing two wins to claim the title of regional champions. A stellar start for the Monarchs saw them score the first two runs of the game, but they were held scoreless beyond the first inning, ultimately falling to the Falcons 9–2.
 
Though the Monarchs did not advance past the Regionals, they still go down as the first Methodist squad to win multiple games in the NCAA Tournament since 2004.

THE ESSENTIALS
Final scores: Messiah def. Methodist, 9–2
Records: Methodist 34-15; Messiah 34–14
Location: Hugh Stephens Field at Estes Park; Ashland, Virginia

HOW IT HAPPENED
  • With one out in the top of the first, three consecutive Methodist batters drew walks to load the bases. Banks Engle — the home run hero from Saturday's victory — stepped up and delivered a single into right field that brought Brandon Mauger and Tristen Melvin across the plate.
  • Anthony Sarbanes faced just four batters in the bottom of the first. In the second inning, he forced two of the first three batters into outs, putting the Monarchs one out away with just a runner on first. The next two Messiah batters were able to draw walks to give the Falcons a man at every base, and that's when Isaiah Parido produced a grand slam to put Methodist behind 4–2.
  • The Monarchs tried to respond in the top of the third with back–to–back singles from Austin Rinzel and Justin Blunt, but Messiah's Jason Long struck out the final two batters of the frame. Methodist batters recorded 10 hits on the day (compared to just six for Messiah), but not enough came in succession. A total of 12 Monarch base runners were left stranded on the afternoon.
  • The Falcons used three hits to add a pair of runs in the fifth inning, then plated three more runs in the eighth inning to make the difference seven runs.
NUMBERS
  • Methodist recorded a hit in eight out of nine innings, while the Falcons had hits in just three innings.
  • Methodist's 5–6–7 batters in the order (Engle, Blunt and Rinzel) were the three Monarchs to each record two hits on the day.
FINAL OUT
Methodist's season comes to a close with 34 wins — the program's most since 2002. It's the team's 21st season with at least 30 wins under Tom Austin.
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