Rocky Mount, N.C. - The Battling Bishop baseball team opened up conference play with a two-game home series against Ferrum this weekend, falling by 5-1 and 6-5 scores on Friday and Saturday, respectively. The sweep leaves the Bishops with a 5-6 overall record and 0-2 mark in the USA South.

In Saturday's game, an RBI single by Eddie McGrath in the eighth inning was the difference in a tightly contested 6-5 victory by the Panthers.

Ferrum had taken an early 1-0 lead in the second inning only to see it erased in the third, when Andre Nichols' RBI-single was followed a 2-run homerun by junior Tyler Clark. The homer was Clark's first of the season and put the Bishops on top 3-1.

In the sixth, the Panthers' Brennen Iley brought in two unearned runs after a critical error extended the inning, giving Ferrum a 4-3 lead.  NCWC's Pat Laffin, however, was able to deliver an RBI-single to right to tie the score at 4-4 in the Bishops' half of the frame.

Both teams would scratch a run in the seventh, setting the stage for McGrath's game-winning RBI in the eighth.

Javin Metz (2-0) got the win for the Panthers and Justin Puentes got the save.  Freshman Hatteras Brooks (1-1) suffered the loss for Wesleyan.

On Friday, the Bishops fell to Ferrum by a 5-1 tally.  Four runs in the second inning were all the Panthers needed to capture their first conference win of the season.  McGrath again delivered the big blow with a 3-run homer, his first of the season. 

The Panthers were led by pitcher Chris Walker (1-1), who tossed a complete game. The only run he allowed was unearned off an error in the sixth inning.

The Bishops' Caleb Wessel (1-1) pitched six innings and took the loss, allowing four runs.

With the sweep, Ferrum bettered their record to 6-1 overall and 2-0 in the conference. 

Wesleyan will now travel to Myrtle Beach, S.C. to play six games in the Cal Ripken Tournament.

*This release courtesy of NCWC Sports Information Intern Kevin Quicker.