FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. Securing a signature win on Wednesday evening, the Methodist baseball team took down previously unbeaten Belhaven University, scoring a season-best 15 runs. The Blazers — who were nationally ranked fourth in the latest
D3baseball.com Top 25 poll — conceded nine runs to the Monarchs in the first inning before falling 15–10.
THE ESSENTIALS
Final results: Methodist def. #4 Belhaven, 15–10
Records: Methodist 4-10, Belhaven 12-1
Location: Armstrong-Shelley Field; Fayetteville, N.C.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Sean Jennison toed the rubber for Methodist to start the game on Wednesday, dealing a strikeout in the first inning while holding the Blazers to no runs. In the bottom of the inning,
Austin Rinzel quickly reached base with a single up the middle, then moved to second on a single by
Brandon Mauger.
Blake Freeman stepped up to the plate with two runners on and one out, and with an 0-1 count, he saw a pitch he liked and smashed it to right-center field, where it didn't stop until it slammed into the scoreboard for a three-run homer.
With two outs and two runners on via walk, freshman
Bronson Shaikh delivered a single into right that scored
Parker Evans, then a throwing error allowed
Ethan Golemo to cross home as well, making the score 5–0. The Monarchs made it back around to the top of the order, and Rinzel reached base on another single while driving in a pair of runs to give Methodist a seven-run advantage. Not wanting the inning to end, Mauger recorded his second single of the inning to move Rinzel to third, then
Israel Ortiz doubled down the right-field line to bring both Rinzel and Mauger across the plate. The Blazers were finally able to get the third out they needed, but not before the Monarchs had put up a nine-run frame.
Belhaven scored twice in the third, but Methodist matched with two runs of its own, with RBIs by Ortiz and Freeman. The Blazers brought another pair of runs across the plate in the fifth, then made things interesting in the sixth with five more runs, including a two-run blast by Parker Ryan to make the score 11–9. With pressure mounting, the Methodist offense came through once more.
Keegan Megaro and Shaikh reached base on balls, while Golemo earned his spot on the base path by getting plunked. After a pitching change, everybody moved up a base because of a balk, giving the Monarchs run number 12 of the ballgame.
Kade Bell was next to bat, and he provided an RBI single through the left side of the infield to make the score 13–9.
Golemo's RBI double in the seventh added a nice insurance run, and after a Trey Smith homerun for Belhaven in the top of the eighth, Rinzel managed to score his fourth run of the game in the bottom of the inning, crossing home on a wild pitch.
Jackson Kuhn took the mound and successfully protected the lead for Methodist in the ninth, striking out the first two batters he faced before forcing the final batter to fly out.
STAT FACTS
This is Methodist's first win over a ranked opponent since defeating #11 SUNY Brockport in the opening game of the NCAA Regionals last season. It's the team's first regular-season victory over a ranked opponent since topping #15 Christopher Newport University in 10 innings on March 3, 2024 during the Armstrong Invitational at Methodist.
Rinzel and Mauger feasted at the top of the lineup, each logging three hits, while Freeman led the team with four RBIs. His three-run blast was the second homerun off his bat this season.
Methodist batters drew a season-high 11 walks while tying the season low of just four strikeouts.
UP NEXT
The Monarchs are at home for a three-game series with Southern Virginia University beginning this Friday, with the first pitch set for 4 p.m. It's the first USA South series of the season.
