March 13, 2006
27th-ranked Monarchs come home, sweep Shenandoah 6-0, 10-1
Methodist improves to 16-4 overall and 4-0 in USA South

GREENSBORO, N.C. – With the week of California Dreamin’ now a memory, the Methodist Monarch softball team returned to the friendly confines of Monarch Field on Monday and swept USA South Athletic Conference rival Shenandoah 6-0 and 10-1. The sweep improves 27th-ranked Methodist to 16-4 overall and 4-0 in the USA South.

In addition, Methodist has now won 26 straight games head-to-head against Shenandoah.

Mara Brown, coming on in relief of starter Lesley Hewitt in the second inning, was flawless in game one. The junior right-hander went six innings, allowing only two hits with four strikeouts to garner the victory. Her teammates, meanwhile, scored two runs in the third and fourth and a run each in the fifth and sixth.

Kayla Talbert drilled a two-run double in the third, scoring Candace Hudgins and Lisa Jackson to give the Monarchs a 2-0 lead. In the fourth, Kristen Kennedy and Jackson both had RBI singles, increasing the Methodist lead to 4-0. Adrienne Acosta then drilled an RBI double in the fifth and Taylor Powers nailed an RBI single in the sixth.

Hudgins went a perfect 4-for-4 in game one for Methodist with two runs scored as Methodist pounded out 17 hits. Talbert and Rebekah Kelly both went 2-for-3, while Jackson, Kennedy and Acosta each went 2-for-4.

Methodist wiped out a 1-0 Shenandoah in game two with three runs in the second and the fourth and two each in the third and fifth.

The Monarchs scored the three runs in the second on two Shenandoah errors, and the two runs in the fourth were also by virtue of two Hornet errors. In the fourth, Jennifer Brophy drilled an RBI single, scoring Nicole McLaughlin, and Amy Faucette’s two-run double scored Brophy and Kate Roth to give the Monarchs an 8-1 lead.

Powers finished the scoring in the fifth with a two-run triple to right field, scoring both Talbert and T.T. Headen.

Monarch starter Jennifer Sorensen improved to 8-2 with the victory, scattering four hits and one run with three strikeouts. Sara Poling went 2-for-2 for Methodist with a run scored, while Caryn Moreland went 2-for-3 with two runs scored.

Methodist travels Wednesday for a 2 p.m. showdown at USA South rival Averett.