February
26, 2006
Monarchs
record
split
with 8-7
victory
in 10
innings
over
Ferrum
Panthers
win
suspended
game
8-1;
Spivey,
Cornelius
get four
hits
each in
final
game
FAYETTEVILLE,
N.C. –
They
needed
10
innings,
but the
Methodist
Monarchs
salvaged
the
three-game
USA
South
Athletic
Conference
series
against
rival
Ferrum
on
Sunday
with a
thrilling
8-7
victory
at
Shelley
Field.
Earlier
in the
day,
Ferrum
prevailed
8-1 in
the
completion
of
Saturday’s
suspended
second
game of
a
doubleheader.
The
split
improves
the
Monarchs
to 5-3
overall
and 1-2
in the
USA
South.
Methodist
appeared
in
cruise
control
in the
final
game,
building
a 6-1
lead
through
seven
innings
behind
some
sterling
pitching
from
freshman
Kurt
Kelly.
However,
Ferrum
scored
two runs
in the
eighth
to cut
the lead
to 6-3,
and then
scored
four
runs in
the
ninth to
take a
7-6
lead.
Jesse
Bowles
delivered
a
two-run
single
in the
eighth
for the
Panthers,
while
Brett
Thomas
gave
Ferrum
the lead
with a
two-run
double
in the
ninth.
But
there
was no
quit in
the
Monarchs
as they
tied it
with a
run in
the
bottom-half
of the
inning
to send
the game
into
extra
innings.
Michael
Ellsworth
led off
with a
single,
and was
pinch
run for
by Mike
Eaton.
Eaton
stole
second,
advanced
to third
on Steve
Cornelius’
flyout
to
centerfield
and then
scored
on Jason
Hughes’
RBI
double
to
right-centerfield.
In the
bottom
of the
10th,
Mark
Weadon
was hit
by a
pitch
for
Methodist,
and
Jonathan
Spivey
followed
with a
single
to right
field.
Both
runners
moved up
on a
wild
pitch,
and then
Eaton
was
intentionally
walked
to load
the
bases.
Cornelius
then
came
through
the
game-winner
on an
RBI
single
to left
field.
Spivey
went
4-for-5
for
Methodist
with two
runs
scored,
while
Cornelius
went
4-for-6
with two
runs
scored
and two
RBIs. In
addition,
Hughes
went
3-for-5
with
three
RBIs,
Ellsworth
went
3-for-5
with a
run
scored
and two
RBIs and
Scott
Russell
went
2-for-3.
Kelly
went
seven-and-two-thirds
innings,
allowing
only
three
runs and
three
hits
with two
strikeouts,
while
Chase
Cates
was the
winning
pitcher
in
relief.
For
Ferrum
(6-1,
2-1),
Matt
Gammon
went
2-for-4,
and John
Sain and
Brent
Sowers
both
went
2-for-5.
Jimmy
Holm
took the
defeat
in
relief.
In the
suspended
the
game,
Ferrum
scored
six runs
in the
first
inning,
but only
one was
earned
thanks
to a
crucial
Methodist
error.
The
Panthers
added
another
run in
the
third
and one
more in
the
ninth.
Methodist
scored
its lone
run in
the
second
when
Cornelius
scored
on
Weadon’s
sacrifice
fly.
Russell
and
Michael
Carter
both
went
2-for-4
for
Methodist,
while
Adam
Denning
suffered
his
first
defeat
on the
season
despite
recording
five
strikeouts
in six
innings.
The
senior
allowed
seven
runs,
but only
two were
earned.
Sowers
went
3-for-5
for
Ferrum
with two
RBIs,
while
Joshua
Tuck
went
2-for-4
with two
runs
scored
and Nick
Baker
went
2-for-5.
Methodist
plays
host to
neighboring
NCAA
Division
II rival
St.
Andrews
on
Wednesday
at 3
p.m. at
Shelley
Field.
