FAYETTEVILLE, NC (2/23/05) -- The Methodist Monarchs opened the 2005 softball season on Wednesday with a doubleheader split against visiting Guilford at Monarch Field. The Quakers prevailed in game one 3-1, before the bats came alive for 20th-ranked Methodist as the Monarchs won the nightcap 9-6.

      Christi Dunnigan neutralized Methodist bats in game one with a four-hitter with eight strikeouts. She got all the offensive support from the bat of catcher Ashley Cooke, who smacked two home runs - a solo shot in the fourth inning and a two-run blast in the fifth.

      Methodist scored its lone run in the fifth as Adrienne Acosta scored on a passed ball. Jennifer Sorensen took the defeat despite scattering eight hits with seven strikeouts.

      In game two, Methodist overcame a 2-0 deficit with three runs in the third and two each in the fifth and sixth. Diane Etheridge had an RBI single and Kim McCall followed with a two-run double in the third to give the Monarchs a 4-2 lead. Lindsey Leitao added a towering two-run home run in the fifth and Candace Hudgins drilled an RBI double in the sixth.

      Leitao went 2-for-3 with two runs scored and two RBIs for Methodist, while McCall went 2-for-4 with a run scored and two RBIs and Hudgins went 2-for-4 with an RBI. Mara Brown was the winning pitcher in relief, while Sorensen recorded her first save of the season.

      Cooke, Jennifer Franklin, Jennifer Evans, Frenchie Kitchen, Kendra Harvey and Carla Cain each had two hits for Guilford (1-3). Evans also had three RBIs, while Dunnigan was the losing pitcher.

      Guilford returns to action against Methodist plays host to Messiah on Saturday morning at 10 a.m.

Game 1

Guilford 3, Methodist 1 (Feb 23, 2005 at Fayetteville, NC)
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Guilford.............. 000 120 0 - 3 8 0 (1-2)
Methodist........... 000 010 0 - 1 4 0 (0-1)
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Pitchers: Guilford - Dunnigan. Methodist - SORENSEN, J.
Win-Dunnigan(1-1) Loss-SORENSEN, J(0-1) T-1:23 A-75
HR GC - Cooke 2 (2).
Game notes:
Ashley Cooke (Gibsonville, NC/E. Guilford) hit a solo homer in the 4th and
a 2-run shot in the 5th to lift Guilford past 20th-ranked Methodist in the
Monarchs' season opener. Freshman Christi Dunnigan (King, NC/W. Stokes)
earned her first college win for the Quakers.

Game 2

Methodist 9, Guilford 6 (Feb 23, 2005 at Fayetteville, NC) (Game 2)
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Guilford.............. 011 013 0 - 6 15 4 (1-3)
Methodist........... 013 122 X - 9 9 1 (1-1)
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Pitchers: Guilford - Dunnigan; Evans(4). Methodist - HUTZEL, J; BROWN, M(4); VAUGHN, S(6);
SORENSEN, J(7).
Win-BROWN, M(1-0) Save-SORENSEN, J(1) Loss-Dunnigan(1-2) T-1:42 A-83
HR MC - LEITAO, L (1).
Game notes:
Methodist ranked 20th in NCAA Division III
Methodist plays host to Messiah on Saturday - 10 a.m.