ROCKY MOUNT, N.C. - The 17th ranked NC Wesleyan College Baseball team knocked out 15 hits en route to an 11-5 conference victory over rival Methodist University from Bauer Field on Friday afternoon.
With the win, the #17 Bishops improve to 16-2 on the season and 4-0 in the conference while MU falls to 7-11 and 1-3 in conference. The teams resume their series tomorrow at 12 Noon with a doubleheader.
After Methodist took an early 2-0 lead in the 2nd inning, the Bishops responded with a 4-run third inning of their own before scoring 4 more runs in the 5th to basically put the game out of reach.
Senior RF Alec Titmus got the scoring started for the Bishops as he came around to score on two throwing errors by the Monarchs after he had singled and stole second. Freshman 1B Jackson Hobbs then singled in freshman Tyson Bass before sophomore 2B Davie Morgan drove in two more runs for the Bishops in that third inning to make it 4-2. Wesleyan would not relinquish the lead after that.
Hobbs then led off the 5th inning with a solo home run, his first of the season, before the Bishops followed with back-to-back-back hits. DH Jackson Murray first singled in shortstop Nate Hibbs before Titmus then doubled in Murray. Bass would then make it 8-3 with his RBI single.
After MU scored its final two runs in the 6th off Bishops' starting pitcher Derrick Carter, senior reliever Kevin Williams would then come on to shut out the Monarchs over the final 3 and 1/3 innings allowing just two hits and struck out two. Carter finished the game throwing 5 and 2/3 innings allowing 5 runs on 8 hits with 5 walks and six strikeouts to pick up the win improving to 4-0.
Hobbs led the Bishop offense with 3 hits while Hibbs, Murray, Titmus, and outfielder Zach Lyon all recorded two hits apiece. Both of Hibbs' hits were doubles while all nine starting position players recorded hits for Wesleyan on the day.