April 9, 2006
Monarchs claim conference championship with wins over Ferrum
Kelly, Faucette, Moreland, and Poling all hit home runs for Methodist

FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. – The Methodist College softball team defended their 2005 USA South conference championship by defeating Ferrum College 8-2, 8-4 on Sunday.  With the wins the Monarchs end their regular season at an impressive 34-6 and 13-1 in USA South play. 

The Monarchs cruised in game one behind a strong effort from pitcher Jennifer Sorenson.  Sorenson allowed only two hits and struck out seven. 

The teams battled to a scoreless tie through four innings, but the Monarchs blew the game open in the top of the fifth.  Caryn Moreland opened the floodgates with a leadoff home run to right field.  Three batters later Amy Faucette hit a two run home run to left center.  After a Kristen Kennedy walk, Sarah Polling made it a hat trick with the third home run of the inning, this time to center field.

The Monarchs would add insurance runs in the sixth and seventh innings.

Ferrum mounted a rally hitting safely three times in the seventh, but Methodist pitched out of the jam to save the victory.

Rebekah Kelly, T.T. Headen, Candace Hudgins, and Caryn Moreland all had two hits for Methodist.

Game two was a totally different ball-game for Methodist.

Ferrum raced out to a 2-0 lead, scoring once each in the first and third innings off Methodist starter Lindsey Hewitt.  The Monarchs got on the board when Candace Hudgins drove home Kristen Kennedy, who doubled to open the fourth inning. 

Ferrum responded with two runs in the bottom of the inning to take a 4-1 lead into the fifth. 

Methodist chipped away at the lead scoring twice in the fifth on Kristen Kennedy's double to right field.

Trailing 4-3 in the top of the seventh, Methodist sent Rebekah Kelly to lead off and start a rally.  Kelly responded in a big way, hitting her first career home run to straight away center field, tying the game at 4-4.  Amy Faucette followed with a single and Kristen Kennedy doubled again to put runners on second and third.  Sara Poling then knocked in the go-ahead run with a sacrifice fly, scoring Faucette.  T.T. Headen, Candace Hudgins, and Caryn Moreland all followed with hits scoring a total of five in the inning to put the Monarchs up comfortably at 8-4.

Jessica Hutzul, who came on in relief, shut the Panthers down in the seventh to give the Monarchs the victory.  Hutzul was credited with the win and did not allow a base runner in her three innings of work.

Kristen Kennedy and Candace Hudgins each went 3-4 for Methodist.

Methodist will compete in the USA South Conference Tournament as the #1 seed this weekend in Burlington, NC.