Fayetteville, N.C. (2/24/07) --  The Methodist softball team put the Guilford Quakers away early in a 8-0 shutout and held on for a 7-6 win in game two.  The Monarchs start the season 2-0 overall while Guilford falls to 1-7 on the season.
 
Freshman pitcher Emily Beck started in game one for the Monarchs where she pitched five innings only allowing two hits in the shutout win.  The Quakers held Methodist scoreless in the first inning before sophomore Jennifer Brophy singled in the second to score sophomore Kayla Talbert.  In the third inning, junior Rebekah Kelly hit a single into left field and advanced to second on the error.  Freshman Tina Poindexter hit a sacrifice fly into right field, moving Kelly over to third.  Senior Kristie Kennedy flew out to left field to score Kelly and give the Monarchs the 2-0 lead.
 
The Monarchs came back in the bottom of the fourth with five hits in a six-run inning to secure the 8-0 win.  Junior Billye Rivas led off with a walk when Brophy singled to move Rivas over to second.  Freshman Krista Dillard entered as a pinch runner for Rivas and freshman Megan Hutson laid down the bunt.  Hutson beat the throw while Brophy and Dillard advanced to second and third.  Kelly hit a fly ball to center to score Dillard.  Poindexter singled to score Brophy and Kennedy reached on an error that scored Hutson.  Sophomore Sara Poling's single to center field scored Kennedy and Poindexter before Talbert was walked.  Junior Candace Hudgins singled to score Poling and cap off the six run marathon.
 
Beck came back out and finished things off in the third inning where the Methodist defense held onto the shutout.  Kennedy and Poling both finished with two RBIs in the win while Brophy and Hutson went 2-for-2 from the plate.
 

GAME 2 BOXSCORE

Guilford started things off early in the second game with three hits to score the first two runs of the day.  The Monarchs responded by taking a 3-2 lead in the bottom of the first.  Talbert's fly out to center scored Poindexter and a big single through the right side scored Poling and Kennedy.
 
Brophy led off the bottom of the second inning with a double deep in centerfield and scored on Kelly's double to center.  Kelly advanced to third on a sacrifice fly by Poindexter and scored on a wild pitch to take the 5-2 lead.  Brophy started things off again in the fourth inning with a single.  Hutson's sacrifice bunt moved Brophy over to second before Kelly singled to the shortstop.  Kennedy hit a double through the left side to score Brophy and Kelly.  Sophomore pitcher Lesley Hewitt exited after four innings where she struck out eight.  Freshman Nicole Springer took over in the circle at the top of the fifth inning.  Springer pitched through the fifth and started the sixth when a line drive up the middle sent her back to the dugout with an injury.  Senior Jessica Hutzul finished off the sixth with a groundout and a strikeout. 
 
Still holding a 7-2 lead, the Monarchs came out in the seventh ready to close out their second win.  The Quakers would not make it easy forcing the Monarchs to call back to the dugout for Hewitt and then game one winner Beck to secure the win.  Guilford connected with four hits during the inning on the way to scoring four runs.  Beck entered the game with one out, a one run lead and bases loaded.  She struck out the first batter for the second out and closed things off with a grounder hit back to the circle and the easy out at first.
 
Brophy finished 3-for-3 from the plate to go 5-for-5 on the day.  Kennedy went 2-for-2 driving in two RBIs while Hudgins added another two RBIs.

-Story courtest of Methodist Sports Information.