FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. - The 5th seeded NC Wesleyan College softball team dropped their USA South Conference East Division play-in game 6-1 on the road to 4th seeded Methodist University from Price Field in Fayetteville on Tuesday.
Methodist will now advance to face West #1 seed Piedmont on Thursday in the next round of the tournament. The Bishops finish the year 19-18 overall.
The game was scoreless through three innings as freshman starter Emily Humphrey wiggled out of a bases-loaded jam in the third inning. Unfortunately, the Monarchs would get to Humphrey and reliever Emily Osteguin in the 4th inning scoring on a bases-loaded walk from Osteguin and a two-run single. Humphrey threw 3 and 1/3 innings before back-to-back walks knocked her out the game in the 4th as she finished allowing 2 runs (1 earned) on 2 hits and 3 walks while striking out two to fall to 11-7 on the year.
Before MU took their 3-0 lead in the bottom of the fourth, the Lady Bishops, unfortunately, could not cash in any runs when they loaded the bases in the top half. Sophomore catcher MK Raynor and sophomore 1B Abby Todd doubled and singled back-to-back in the 4th while senior DH Brianna Myers walked, but MU got the Bishops to strike out three times in the inning to end the threat.
MU then put the game out of reach in the 5th scoring on a sacrifice fly and two-run double off relievers Osteguin and freshman Avery Jordan to take a 6-0 lead after five. Jordan then threw a 4-pitch perfect inning in the bottom of the sixth to keep Wesleyan in the game.
In the top of the 6th, a leadoff walk from senior SS Meredith Mize was followed by an RBI double from Raynor to get the Bishops on the board but Wesleyan could not add any more runs in the inning. Mize finished the year leading the team in runs scored with 26 while Winstead led the team with 18 stolen bases on the year.
Raynor led the offense with two doubles on the day to finish hitting .260 on the year with 17 RBIs while Todd registered one hit to lead the team with a .291 average. Myers also walked twice and finished third on the team with 13 walks
