March 22, 2006
Monarchs drop first USA South contest with split against North Carolina Wesleyan
Sorensen fires three-hit shutout as Methodist wins first game 2-0

FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. – The chances of an undefeated season in the USA South Athletic Conference went by the wayside for the Methodist Monarch softball team on Wednesday against visiting North Carolina Wesleyan. The Monarchs, behind a sterling performance by Jennifer Sorensen, won game one 2-0. However, North Carolina Wesleyan rallied to take the nightcap 4-3 at the Monarch Field.

The split makes Methodist, ranked 27th in Division III, 24-6 overall and 7-1 in the USA South.

Sorensen out-dueled North Carolina Wesleyan’s Libby Fulford in game one. The senior right-hander fired a complete game three-hit shutout with no walks and eight strikeouts. The Monarchs took a 1-0 lead in the first on an RBI double by Kristen Kennedy, scoring Adrienne Acosta. Methodist then got a needed insurance run in the sixth when Taylor Powers scored on a wild pitch.

Kennedy went 2-for-3 with two doubles for Methodist.

The Monarchs had a 2-1 lead through the first four innings of game two when North Carolina Wesleyan rallied with three runs in the fifth. LaTiana Headen’s error in centerfield accounted for the first two Bishop runs, and then an RBI single by Hannah Hardy increased the North Carolina Wesleyan lead to 4-2.

Methodist trimmed the lead to 4-3 with a run in the bottom of the fifth as Kennedy drilled an RBI double to score Acosta. That, however, was as close as the Monarchs would get.

Acosta scored twice the Monarchs, while Lesley Hewitt suffered her first defeat of the season, allowing four runs and seven hits in four-and-two-thirds innings.

Methodist travels to Peace for a key USA South doubleheader on Saturday at 1 p.m.