FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. - The first-place Methodist University Monarchs (21-9, 10-2 USA South) used a seven-run sixth to pull away from the Brevard College baseball team (12-17, 7-5 USAS) by a final of 16-9 on Sunday afternoon at Armstrong-Shelley Field.
 
The two sides combined for 25 total runs and 34 combined hits in the slugfest.
 
Easton King, who got the start at DH for the Tornados, followed up leadoff singles by Cale Oehler and Frankie Vasquez with one of his own to drive home Oehler and put the Tornados on top 1-0. A double play and a ground out prevented further damage by the Tornados though.
 
Methodist answered in the bottom-half of the second, as a two-out solo home run cleared the right field wall tying things up.
 
CP Pyle kicked things off in the top of the third with a single, and after a passed ball Hayden Jennings reached base on a throwing error. A fly out allowed Pyle to advance to third, but a foul out halted the scoring chance.
 
Despite Jacob Thompson picking off his second batter of the game at first base in the bottom of the third, the Monarchs were able to take the lead with a two-out RBI single.
 
Vasquez led off the fourth by drawing a walk, and after a Lucas Granata single, Nico Bartolotti punched one to left to tie things up at 2-2. Pyle came through for Brevard with two outs, singling to center to bring Granata to the dish to put BC back in front, 3-2.
 
Jennings then kept Brevard's alive, drilling a double to left field that scored two, as BC surged to a 5-2 edge. Following a Methodist pitching change, Logan Sawyer kept the line moving with a single that plated Jennings, capping off a five-run fourth for the Tornados.
 
Methodist was able to find a counter-punch in the bottom-half of the frame, though, using three RBI singles and an RBI sacrifice bunt to tie the score at six-all. Then, a two-out RBI double chased Thompson out of the game and gave the Monarchs the lead back, 7-6.
 
BC was able to answer right back, scoring two runs in the top of the fifth on a throwing error and an RBI single by Pyle. Methodist turned the tides for good in the sixth inning, putting up a seven-run frame that helped the Monarchs clinch the sweep.
 
King and Pyle each recorded three hits apiece, while Vasquez finished 2-for-4. All nine Tornado starters notched base hits in the game.
 
Brevard returns home for a weekend set against Greensboro College beginning Saturday at 3 p.m. at Gil Coan Field.
 
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