March 17, 2006
27th-ranked Monarchs win two of three at Early Bird Invitational
Methodist knocks off Meredith, Averett to improve to 21-5 overall

FLORENCE, S.C. – After a one-year hiatus, the Early Bird Invitational returned on Friday, and the Methodist Monarch softball team won two of its three games in pool play. Methodist opened with a tough 4-2 defeat against Huntingdon, but rallied to defeat Meredith 3-1 and Averett 4-2.

With the two victories, 27th-ranked Methodist improves to 21-5 overall.

Missed opportunities were the story for the Monarchs against Huntingdon. In five innings, Methodist had runners in scoring position, but could not push across any runs. The Monarchs trailed 4-0 in the seventh when they scored twice on a two-run double by Jennifer Brophy. However, Sara Poling struck out with runners on second and third.

Adrienne Acosta went 2-for-4 with a run scored, while Candace Hudgins went 2-for-3 with a double for the Monarchs. Jennifer Sorensen fell to 9-3 with the defeat despite five strikeouts in nine innings.

Methodist scored a run each in the first, third and fourth innings against Meredith. Kristen Kennedy’s RBI single plated Acosta in the first, followed by an RBI double by Poling in the third. Amy Faucette scored on Caryn Moreland’s sacrifice fly in the fourth.

Freshman Lesley Hewitt picked up the victory, recording seven strikeouts in five innings, while Mara Brown recorded the save.

The Monarchs scored twice in the first and three runs in the fourth to take a 5-0 lead against Averett. Kennedy and Moreland provided RBI singles in the first, while Kennedy smacked a two-run double and Hudgins had an RBI single in the fourth. Methodist scored its final run in the seventh when Krystal Harris’ RBI single scored Poling.

Kennedy went 3-for-4 with a double and three RBIs, while Moreland went 3-for-3 with an RBI and Acosta went 2-for-4 with two runs scored. Jessica Hutzul was the winning pitcher, recording four strikeouts in five innings, and Hewitt recorded the save.

Methodist plays Peace on Saturday at 11 a.m., followed by LaGrange at 3 p.m. in the Early Bird Invitational.