FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. -- The Methodist baseball snapped a five-game losing skid with a pair of victories against visiting Greensboro on Sunday afternoon at Armstrong-Shelley Field. Game scores were 3-2 and 13-6, respectively.
In the opener, the Monarchs broke through for two runs in the bottom of the fifth to grab a 3-1 lead. Cody Molosky hit a leadoff single to right center, and went on to steal second base.
Following a Lucas Scott walk and Chris Power popout, Pete Wildeboer singled to right to load the bases with one down. Steven Kirby then grounded a ball sharply up the middle to drive in Molosky, and Scott crossed the plate for an unearned run as Pride shortstop Cole Starke could not maintain control of the ball.
Greensboro would, however, continue to keep applying the pressure as it cut into Methodist's two-run edge in the seventh. Andrew Ray started things off with a base hit through the left side, and advanced to second after a Kristopher Taveras single up the middle. Following a James Wilkins sacrifice bunt that moved up both runners, Starke plated Ray with on a run-scoring groundout to make it a 3-2 game.
The suspense carried over to the final half-inning as the Monarchs Josh Ayers attempted to shut the door and nail down the win. Kyle Willard led off with an infield hit off Ayers, and pinch runner Cody York promptly stole second with none out. After a strikeout, Methodist rightfielder Kirby could not corral a flyball off the bat of pinch hitter Andrew Toney, and that put runners on the corners with one down.
With the score still 3-2 and men on first and third for Greensboro, pinch runner J.P. Lisk stole second base to heighten the drama. Ayers then induced a flyball out by Wilkins, on which Methodist leftfielder Ray Lanners made a shoestring catch by his feet. The Pride had the tying and winning runs on base with two down when Ayers struck out Starke on a called strike three on the inside corner.
Wildeboer and Tyler Hardee each went 2-for-4 at the plate for Methodist, and Molosky had two base hits, an RBI, a stolen base and scored once. Travis Johnson (3-2) made the start on the mound, and earned the victory. He pitched 7.0 innings and allowed two runs on nine hits and a walk. He struck out two. Ayers picked up his sixth save with two scoreless innings and struck out two.
James Feldmann batted 3-for-4 with three singles for the Pride, which had 10 base hits in the opening game. Kristopher Peeden (0-4) threw an 8.0-inning complete game, but remained winless on the season. He gave up three runs (2 ER) on eight hits and walked three.
In the nightcap, the action appeared to swing in Greensboro's (2-19, 1-15 USA South) favor as it led the Monarchs (15-9, 9-5 USA South) by a 2-0 margin through three-and-a-half innings.
But Methodist tallied eight runs in the bottom of the fourth to seize an 8-2 advantage as it batted around. Five bases-loaded walks accounted for the bulk of the damage by MU batters. The Pride would draw within four runs of Methodist later in the seventh by making a 9-5 contest, but the Monarchs put the game out of reach with a four-spot in the eighth for a 12-5 edge.
Stephen Nalls reached base four times for Methodist as he went 2-for-3 with an RBI, two walks and two runs scored. Kirby and Alex Rodriguez each drove in two runs, and Hardee batted 2-for-3 with an RBI, a walk and scored twice. Monarchs game two starter Darin Salter (4-0) remained undefeated as he tossed 5.1 innings. He surrendered four runs (2 ER) on six hits and two walks.
Pride leadoff hitter Andrew Hernandez scored three times, and Feldmann finished 2-for-3 with two walks. Willard went 2-for-5 and drove in a pair of runs, and Blake Throneburg had two hits, two runs scored and an RBI. Greensboro starter Jeff Waring (1-2) took the loss as he lasted 3.1 innings. He gave up five runs on four hits and four walks.
The two teams will conclude their three-game set tomorrow evening at 6:00 pm.