March 3, 2006
Monarchs sweep North Carolina Wesleyan as Austin records 825th victory
Brandt, Denning both record victories as Methodist wins 5-4, 6-5

ROCKY MOUNT, N.C. – The Methodist Monarch baseball needed a big series this weekend at long-time USA South Athletic Conference rival North Carolina Wesleyan to break a recent slump. The result was a doubleheader sweep on Saturday as Methodist won both ends 5-4 and 6-5 at Bauer Field. The sweep improves the Monarchs to 7-4 overall and 3-2 in the USA South.

It also gave veteran head coach Tom Austin his 825th career victory at Methodist in his 27th season.

Methodist held off a furious Bishop rally in game one, and then rallied in game two with a five-run eighth inning.

The Monarchs jumped out to a 3-0 lead in game one with a run each in the second, fifth and sixth. Jason Hughes had an RBI double in the second, while Steve Cornelius had an RBI single in the sixth. Methodist increased the lead to 5-0 in the seventh on a two-run single by Andy Redman.

Wesleyan scored three runs in the eighth on a two-run double by Matt Smith and an RBI single by Ryan Snyder. The Bishops cut the lead to one run in the ninth before Chase Cates shut the door on North Carolina Wesleyan for the save.

Ryan Brandt improved to 2-1 overall with the victory in game one. The senior right-hander went seven innings, allowing six hits and three runs with seven strikeouts. Offensively, Cornelius went 3-for-5 for the Monarchs, while Hughes and Mike Ellsworth both went 2-for-4.

Methodist trailed 4-1 in the eighth inning of game two when the Monarchs rallied for five runs. Ellsworth and Cornelius started the rally with RBI singles, and then Matt Mergo put Methodist ahead 5-4 with a two-run pinch-hit single. Methodist added some insurance on an RBI double by Scott Russell.

Adam Denning improved to 3-1 with the victory, allowing five runs on 12 hits with two walks and two strikeouts, while Casey Varnell worked a scoreless ninth for the save. Offensively, Matt Hunt went 3-for-5 for the Monarchs, while Russell went 2-for-4 with two RBIs.

The two teams finish the three-game series with a single game on Sunday at 2 p.m. at Bauer Field.