FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. -- The Methodist baseball team totaled 17 hits and overcame a six-run deficit to defeat William Peace 14-11 in USA South play on Saturday afternoon.
 
With the win, the Monarchs move to 9-1 overall and have won eight-consecutive games. It is the first time MU has started a season 9-1 since the 2005 season. The win also moved the Monarchs to 2-0 in league games. Meanwhile, the Pacers drop to 5-5 on the year and 0-2 in conference play.
 
Clay Richardson was 3 for 4 with five RBI, two triples, three runs scored, a walk and a stolen base, while Jacob Austin finished 4 for 4 at the plate with a triple, a walk and scored three runs. Matthias Carter drove in a run and scored four times to go with two doubles and a triple. Additionally, Davis Cass recorded his first home run of the season.
 
Carter started off the home half of the first inning with a triple on the first pitch and scored on a ground out by Richardson, 1-0.
 
The Pacers responded by plating seven runners in the second inning. WPU batted around and totaled six hits in the frame, including two hits by Jake Norris, and also drew back-to-back, bases-loaded walks. The seven-run outburst forced a pitching change as well.
 
The Green and Gold entered the second inning trailing by six runs, but scored five runs to cut the lead to 7-6. Cass crushed a lead-off home run to left field before Austin and Parker Clayton hit consecutive singles. They both moved up a base on a sacrifice bunt from Ethan Carmack and Carter drew a walk to load the bases. All three runners came in to score on a triple by Richardson on a ball that bounced away from a diving fielder to get to the 7-6 mark.
 
In the third, the Pacers added a run after a double steal with runners on first and third, 8-6. No runs were scored in the fourth inning, which was the only full inning that had no scoring on the day. William Peace put up another run in the fifth on a sacrifice fly by Justin Torres, 9-6, and Tyler Tilson belted a homer in the sixth. The Pacers manufactured one more run in the seventh on a double, sacrifice bunt and a groundout, 11-9.
 
Carter scored Austin in the bottom of the seventh on an RBI double to right-center field before Kachler hit a line drive off the umpire with the bases loaded that only scored one. Will May hit a double to score two runners as the Monarchs took a 13-11 lead. MU scored once more after Austin hit a triple on a ball that was dropped by a diving fielder and he scored on a groundout by Clayton.
 
Josh Robledo (ND) threw 1.2 innings and allowed six runs with three walks. Six pitchers saw the mound, five in relief, including Logan Haines (1-0) who got the victory after throwing 1.2 innings and giving up one run on two hits. Will Walker entered in the eighth and picked up his fifth save of the year after 1.2 innings of work and two strikeouts.
 
Cameron High lasted 1.1 innings for the Pacers and yielded six runs on six hits. Ben Brann (0-2) tossed 2.2 innings and scattered six hits. He allowed five runs and struck out five.
 
Methodist closes the weekend series with William Peace tomorrow, Feb. 25, at 1 pm.