Box Score Recap courtesy of Methodist University
FAYETTEVILLE, NC – Ray Lanners' two-run home run in the bottom of the sixth propelled the Methodist baseball team to a 4-3 come-from-behind win over the visiting Jumbos of Tufts University on Thursday at Armstrong-Shelley Field.
Down 3-2 with two outs, Colin Ford singled to right-center before Lanners stepped up and sent the bomb over the right-center fence to give the Monarchs (15-7) their first lead of the game and the eventual winning score.
The Jumbos (4-3) got on board early, grabbing a 2-0 lead in the top of the second on an rbi single by Christian Zazzali and an RBI double down the left-field line by Cody McCallum.
Tufts tacked on their final run of the game in the top of the fourth and went ahead, 3-0, when McCallum sent a sacrifice fly to center, scoring Zazzali, who drew a lead-off walk.
Methodist got on the board in the home half of the inning, tallying two runs on two hits. With one out, Pete Wildeboer was walked, stole second, and then was advanced to third on a wild pitch. After a strikeout by Ford, Lanners sent an rbi double to right-center to score Wildeboer. A single by the next batter, Lucas Scott, scored Lanners to bring the Monarchs within one, 3-2.
On the day, Lanners was 2 for 2 with three rbis and two runs scored and drew two walks. Ford was 2 for 4 with a scored run and Wildeboer was 1 for 3 and scored once.
For Tufts, McCallum went 2 for 4 with two rbis and Zazzali was 1 for 2 with two scored runs and walks drawn.
The Monarchs used seven different pitchers on Thursday, starting with rookie Noah Dawson, who pitched the first 1.1 innings and allowed two runs (1 er) on three hits. Greg Johnson entered and tossed the next 2.2 innings and allowed one run on one hit with one strikeout before Thomas Dean came in for 1.0 innings and gave up no hits. Madison Cook (2-0) pitched the sixth inning and earned the win after allowing no hits with one strikeout. Aaron O'Neil entered for an inning and pitched it perfectly and then Logan Haines tossed 1.0 innings and allowed one hit. Nick Norton tossed the final inning and allowed one hit and one strikeout, earning his fourth save of the year.
Tufts starting pitcher Speros Varinos (1-1), took the loss after pitching the first six innings and gave up four runs on six hits with five strikeouts. Freshman Joe Thomas hurled 1.2 innings of one-hit, no-run relief.
Methodist will travel to Rocky Mount, NC this weekend to compete in a USA South series against N.C. Wesleyan beginning on Friday at 11:00 am.
The Jumbos are off tomorrow for the first time since last Friday.
#
