FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. Playing the final two games of the three-game series with Keene State, the Methodist baseball team wound up on the wrong end of both outcomes, dropping the first contest on Saturday 9–5, then falling 8–6 in an extra-inning affair.
THE ESSENTIALS
Final results: Keene State def. Methodist, 9–5; Keene State def. Methodist, 8–6 (10 Inn.)
Records: Methodist 2–8, Keene State 3–0
Location: Armstrong-Shelley Field; Fayetteville, N.C.
HOW IT HAPPENED – GAME 1
The Monarchs traded runs with the Owls in the third, giving up one in the top of the inning before
Austin Rinzel crossed home in the bottom frame to tie the score at 1–1. In the top of the fourth, the first five Keene State batters all reached base safely, contributing to what became a seven-run inning for the Owls. The Monarchs got one back in the bottom of the fourth and another in the fifth, with RBIs credited to
Bronson Shaikh and
Brandon Mauger.
Garrett Brouwer pitched a solid 3.2 innings after coming in midway through the fourth, allowing just two hits without giving up any runs of his own. The Owls finally added one more to their total in the top of the ninth, and the Monarchs tried to rally in the final frame, but the difference was too great. Mauger's two-RBI double would be the last of the scoring, leaving Methodist with the 9–5 loss.
HOW IT HAPPENED – GAME 2
With
Michael Heis on the mound, the Owls were shutout until the third, when Lucas Rogers doubled to drive in the first run of the game.
Bryson Pope took over pitching duties in the fourth, witnessing a two-run homer that gave Keene State a 3–0 advantage. The Monarchs put their first run on the board in the bottom of the fourth, with
Kade Bell pushing the ball through the right side of the infield to bring home a run.
The Owls extended their lead to 5–1 in the sixth, producing a pair of runs during a five-hit frame. With a leadoff single in the bottom of the seventh, Rinzel started a rally for Methodist. After a sacrifice bunt by
Israel Ortiz,
Blake Freeman stepped up to the plate with runners on second and third, tagging a single into left field that scored one. Next up was
Keegan Megaro, whose sacrifice bunt brought another run across the plate. With the Monarch offense showing momentum,
Parker Evans planted his feet in the batter's box, then launched a ball into the trees beyond left field to tie the score at 5–5.
Clay Pridgen retired the side in order in the top of the eighth, emphatically striking out the final batter of the frame. A leadoff double by Bell in the bottom of the inning put the Monarchs in a prime spot to take the lead, which they did following a sacrifice bunt by Rinzel and an RBI single by Mauger. Methodist was able to load the bases, but the Owls made a pitching change and recorded the two necessary outs without giving up another run. In the top of the ninth, Keene State brought one run in to tie the game, then the Owls held the Monarchs without a run in the bottom of the inning to force a 10th.
Using the international tiebreaker rule, the Owls managed to drive in two runs in the top of the inning. The Monarchs were able to see the tying run reach first with only one out, but that would be as close as they'd get.
STAT FACTS
Rinzel had a spectacular day at the plate, batting 6-for-10 from the leadoff spot with a triple. He came around to score four times in total. Mauger tallied the most RBIs on the day with four, while the freshman Bell was the only Monarch aside from Rinzel with multiple hits in both games (producing two in each contest).
UP NEXT
The Monarchs will travel to Demorest, Georgia, for their first three-game series away from home, taking on Piedmont University beginning on Friday, March 6. The weekend slate is scheduled as follows: Friday (6 p.m.), Saturday (2 p.m.) and Sunday (1 p.m.).
