GREENSBORO, N.C. —Methodist College completed a three-game sweep of Greensboro College following a 9-2 win at War Memorial Stadium Sunday.  Methodist a first place by for next weekend’s USA South Conference Tournament.

All Methodist starters got at least one hit in the game, with 18 total, five of which were for multiple bases. Taylor Kennedy (2-for-4, 2B, 2 RBI) and Kevin Mong (2-for-3) paced the way for GC’s hitting.  Brent Justice recorded The Pride’s other extra base hit, with a triple. 

GC starter Chatham Bray (3-3) pitched for five complete innings, allowing 10 hits, four earned runs, one walk, while striking out three Methodist batters.  MC hurler Eric Autry (4-2) pitched seven complete innings, scattering four hits, allowing just one earned run, while striking out and walking two Pride batters each. 

Methodist’s (24-9, 13-5) Jonathan Spivey leadoff the game with a single to left field and advanced home on a triple by David Hoffman.  Hoffman scored on the triple as well, after a throwing error by Chad Alligood allowed the runner to advance home.  Methodist’s 2-0 lead was the second game in the series with a lead after the first inning. 

In GC’s first inning, a Justice tripled to right center field, scoring three batters later when Taylor Kennedy hit a single over Hoffman, the outstretched Monarchs short stop. 

Solid defense for both teams kept the score at 2-1, until the Methodist half of the fourth inning.  Kyle Eudy singled past Justice and down the left field line.  Josh Harris followed for the Monarchs with a triple off the top of the right centerfield wall, scoring Eudy all the way from first, and in the process making the lead 3-1. 

The Monarchs continued to get to GC pitching, this time with a lead off double in the fifth by Hoffman.  Moving to third, and with teammate Michael Ellsworth reaching on a walk and stealing second, Ben Kaplan singled to left field clearing the bases for a 5-1 Methodist advantage. 

Matt Kleckner’s lead off double to start the seventh, was the fourth extra base hit for Methodist of the afternoon.  Advancing to third on a stolen base, Ellsworth singled up the middle to bring Kleckner home for a 6-1 Monarch lead.  With two runners on, reliever Torrey Poholsky entered the game for GC, striking out two batters, and forcing the third to pop up, closing the book on the seventh for Methodist. 

For the fifth time in the game, Methodist led the off the inning with a base hit, this time a single by Matt Hunt to left field.  Spivey followed with a single, putting runners on first and second.  Two batters later, with the runners in scoring position, Kleckner followed with his third hit of the day, making the Methodist lead 8-1. 

Justice led off the GC eighth by reaching on a fielding error by reliever Adam Denning.  Moving to third on a Mong single, Kennedy followed with a double to left field, cutting the Monarch lead to 8-2. 

A Kaplan double to right field opened the inning for Methodist.  Kyle Eudy followed with a single to center field, scoring Kaplan, as Methodist scored the final run in the 9-2 victory. 

Methodist College 9, Greensboro College 2 (Apr 10, 2005 at Greensboro, N.C.)
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Methodist College...  200 120 121  -  9 18  2     (24-9, 13-5 USA South)
Greensboro College.. 100 000 010  -  2  7  2      (18-12, 8-7 USA South)
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Pitchers: Methodist College - AUTRY, E; DENNING, A(8). Greensboro College - BRAY; MOCK(6);
CLOTFELTER(7); POHOLSKY(7); COMBS(8); JORTH(8); MARAS(9); AUGONE(9).
Win-AUTRY, E(4-2)  Loss-BRAY(3-3)  T-3:05  A-108
CLOTFELTER faced 3 batters in the 7th.
COMBS faced 2 batters in the 8th.
MARAS faced 4 batters in the 9th.
Hit leaders: GC

GC record 18-12, 8-7; Streak L4; Up next @ USA South Tournament, 4/14