FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. -- The No. 8 Methodist baseball team set a new season-high with 18 runs on its way to an 18-1 victory against Albertus Magnus at Armstrong-Shelley Field on Wednesday evening.
 
The victory is the eighth-straight for the Monarchs who move to 18-2 overall, which is the team's best start through 20 games since beginning 19-1 in the 2002 season. It was also the sixth-consecutive game in which the Monarchs plated at least 10 runs and are averaging nearly 14 runs per game in that stretch. Meanwhile, the Falcons drop to 2-2 on the year as it continues its Spring Break stretch of games to start their season.
 
MU collected 15 hits and also drew 10 walks in the contest, including four players with multi-hit performances. Jacob Austin was 3 for 5 at the plate with three RBI and two runs scored, while Will Mayalso had three hits, drove in two and scored once. Davis Cass finished 2 for 3 at the dish with three RBI, two runs scored and three walks.
 
Alex Kachler was 2 for 3 with a triple, two RBI, three runs scored and a walk. He has reached base safely in all 20 games this season and now has 35 RBI on the year, which leads all of Division III and ranks second across all divisions of the NCAA.
 
Tristen Luck (ND) tossed 3.0 no-hit innings but allowed one run on three walks in a start. Thomas Dean (1-0) entered in relief for 2.0 innings of work and did not allow a run, struck out two and scattered one hit. A total of six pitchers saw the hill and struck out nine Falcons and allowed just five hits.
 
Albertus Magnus actually got on the board first in the opening half innings as two walks started off the inning. A run was able to saunter across home plate after an errant throw on a stolen base attempt advanced runners, 1-0. The following batter popped into a double play to end the inning and strand a runner in scoring position.
 
Matthias Carter walked to lead off the bottom of the first and moved to second on a bunt by Clay Richardson. Kachler drove Carter in with a single and scored on the next at-bat as May laced a triple down the right field line, 2-1. Davis Cass doubled to center to score May as MU assumed a 3-1 lead after one inning of play.
 
Tucker Criswell and Cass walked to open the fourth inning and Austin loaded the bases with a bunt base hit for Parker Clayton who was hit by a pitch to drive in a run, 4-1. Cass scored on a fielder's choice, while Carter laid down a squeeze bunt to add another run, 6-1.

The Falcons got their first hit of the contest with two outs in the fifth inning on a single by Tom Crocco, but a strikeout on the next at-bat ended the inning. In the home half of the inning, the Monarchs plated another run as Kachler scored on a fielder's choice on an attempted double play, 7-1.
 
Elliot Manley started the sixth by reaching on an error and stole second before moving to third on a sacrifice bunt. With two runners in scoring position, Kachler struck a triple to score two and he scored one pitch later on an RBI single by May, 10-1. In the seventh frame, Methodist put up eight runs after drawing three walks and registering seven hits, including a two-run single by Austin, a two-run double by Cass and an RBI double by Richardson to set the score at 18-1.
 
Crocco recorded two hits for the Falcons, while Brandon Clark doubled and Avery Shugrue scored the lone run.
 
Shawn McFeggan (1-1) was saddled with the loss after surrendering seven runs on four hits with two strikeouts and four walks in 4.0 innings Three other pitchers took the hill in the loss.
 
Methodist returns to action on Friday, March 16, to begin a three-game nonconference series with Pfeiffer at Armstrong-Shelley Field. First pitch is scheduled for 6 pm.