February 27, 2021

Methodist's Austin wins 1,200th game

More news about: Methodist
Tom Austin leads all active Division III baseball coaches in victories and is seventh all-time. More photos from this doubleheader.
Photo by Dave Hilbert, d3photography.com
  

FAYETTEVILLE, N.C.  With a 4-2 triumph over visiting Hampden-Sydney, longtime Methodist coach Tom Austin earned the 1,200th win of his career Saturday evening.

The non-conference win came in the second game of a doubleheader after the Tigers took Game 1 in a 2-1 pitchers' duel. This doubleheader was also the first in front of home fans as the reported attendance for today's contests was 76. 

Austin has been head coach at Methodist since 1980 and has had a winning record in all but one of his 41 seasons entering 2021.

Jordan Cassell and Rob Wilkerson powered the Methodist offense in this doubleheader. They had at least two hits in each game, including a three-hit performance from Cassell in the win. The fine pitching duo of William St. Leger and Nathan Cockman earned the win and save, respectively.

THE ESSENTIALS
Final results: Hampden-Sydney def. Methodist, 2-1; Methodist def. Hampden-Sydney, 4-2
Records: Methodist 1-4, Hampden-Sydney 1-1
Location: Armstrong-Shelley Field; Fayetteville, N.C.

HOW IT HAPPENED

  • After a relatively quiet Game 1, the Monarchs' offense needed just one at-bat to catch fire in the nightcap. Ryan Hill had a leadoff single while Jacob Austin and Wilkerson hit doubles to left and right center, respectively. After one inning, Methodist had a 2-0 lead. Austin and Cassell earned the RBIs in the frame.
  • Hunter Hollman scored in the fourth inning off a Ryan Hill walk and Cassell scored in the fifth, thanks to an RBI-single from Wilkerson. Those two runs provided much-needed insurance as the Tigers scored a run in the third and fifth innings.
  • In Game 1, the score was stuck at 1-1 for seven innings after each team scored one run in their halves of the first inning. A failed Methodist pickoff attempt advanced Ryan Boyce from first to third in the ninth inning before a Ryan Clawson single up the middle scored him.
  • The Monarchs' lone run in the first game was from Austin, who reached first on a hit by pitch. He stole second, Rob Wilkerson advanced him to third, and then advanced him home when he drew the defense's attention while stealing second.

STAT FACTS

  • The first game was your classic pitcher's duel as Will Walker went 7.1 innings, allowing just two hits while fanning six. Trenton Tiller went six innings for Hampden-Sydney, allowing six hits and one earned run.
  • St. Leger earned the win in the second game by allowing just two runs in five innings of work. For Cockman, the four innings he pitched while allowing just one hit and striking out five was enough for the senior to earn his first career save.
  • Ryan Hill's three walks for the day led the team.
  • Ethan Badin led the Tigers with four hits and two RBIs.


UP NEXT
The Monarchs are home again on Tuesday for a non-conference doubleheader against the University of Lynchburg, with the first pitch at 2 p.m. for Game 1 (nine innings) and the first pitch for Game 2 is slated for 5:30 p.m. The nightcap will be a seven-inning contest.