FAYETTEVILLE, N.C.—Greensboro College’s Michael Garvey Jr. (Oak Ridge, N.C./Northwest Guilford) tallied five total hits over Sunday afternoon’s USA South Athletic Conference (USA South) doubleheader with Methodist University as the Pride dropped two to the Monarchs. Methodist took game one, 5-2, and the nightcap, 12-4.
A Christian Yarbrough RBI-triple to right-center field started a two-run rally for the Monarchs in the bottom of the first inning. The Pride contained the Monarchs in the second inning, with game one starting pitcher Hunter Curtis (Graham, N.C/Southern Alamance) facing the minimum thanks to his infield turning a double play to get the Pride out of the inning in a quick fashion. Greensboro capitalized on that momentum in the top of the third frame after Garvey’s double and Curtis’ single led off the inning for the Pride. On Curtis’ steal of second base, Garvey advanced home on an errant throw by Will Walker on the mound to put the Pride on the board.
After Methodist plated two runs in response one half-inning later, the Pride posted another run in the top of the seventh. Garvey reached second on a single and an error, which set up Chance Bryant to bring Garvey home on a one-out single to left-center field. Methodist added an insurance run in response in the next half inning and faced the minimum in the bottom of the ninth to take the game-one win.
The Pride posted runs in the third and fourth innings of game two as Curtis led the response to Methodist first run in the bottom of the second inning. Curtis’ two-out single tied the game. Brayden King’s (Graham, N.C./Southern Alamance) sacrifice fly in the fourth inning posted the Pride’s response to Methodist’s four-run third-inning effort.
The Pride brought the game close in the top of the seventh inning when Devin Brackin connected on a two-run home run to right field after a King walk led off the inning. Methodist responded in the bottom of the eighth inning with a six-run rally to put the game out of reach and earn the doubleheader sweep.
Garvey finished the doubleheader five-for-ten, with a four-for-five effort in game one to lead all batters in either game. The shortstop finished the day with two doubles and a stolen base. King finished both games three-for-six with one of the Pride’s four multi-hit efforts in game one. Bryant and Alexander Morales each hit two-for-four in game one. Curtis (two-for-five) and Brackin (two-for-three) tallied multi-hit efforts for the Pride in game two.
Yarbrough led Methodist with a four-for-eight effort with a triple and two RBI. Jordan Cassell finished four-for-nine over the doubleheader while tallying three RBI.
Curtis (0-1) took the game-one loss for the Pride, striking out two and walking one in a five-inning start. Eli Moravick threw the final three innings of game one where he struck out two and walked one while yielding only one hit. Jared Cenal (1-2) took the game-two loss in a five-inning start where he struck out four batters and walked one.
Walker (4-4) took the game-one win for Methodist in a seven-inning effort where he struck out five batters. William St. Leger (3-4) took the game-two win for the Monarchs where he struck out three batters and walked one.
The Pride returns to action Wednesday, hosting Roanoke College for a 6 p.m. non-conference contest.
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Courtesy of Bryan Jones, Greensboro College Sports Information Director