Bass and Fulford lead Bishops to softball split at Methodist

Rocky Mount, NC - Senior Ashlee Bass (pictured) tied North Carolina Wesleyan’s single-season homerun record in Wednesday afternoon’s doubleheader at Methodist University, connecting on her seventh of the season in the first inning of game one. The two-run blast proved to be the difference in the game as hurler Libby Fulford shut out the 9th-ranked Monarchs 2-0. With a 3-2 win in the nightcap, Methodist moved to 32-6 overall, 14-2 in the USA South. Wesleyan now stands at 14-14 overall, 5-11 in the conference.

In game one, junior Whitney Moshier led off the game with a walk and was promptly sacrificed to second by Denise Pope. Bass then plated the only runs of the game with a shot over the fence in left center.

Fulford did the rest, scattering six hits over seven complete, striking out four and walking one. The senior, in fact, retired the final six batters she faced to put to rest any thoughts of an MU comeback. Methodist junior Lesley Hewitt took the loss.

After battling through two and a half scoreless innings in game two, Monarch freshman Tabatha Stephenson reached on an error to lead off the third. She advanced to third on wild pitches and later scored on a Crystal Metzger RBI-single. The Monarchs scored again in the fourth inning when junior Kayla Talbert led off with a triple and scored on a Darci Martin sac-fly.

Wesleyan battled back in the fifth when Fulford delivered a bases loaded two-run single to right field.

With the score tied 2-2 heading into the bottom of the seventh, Metzger led off with another single up the middle and advanced to second on a sac-bunt by Jennifer Brophy. Talbert was then intentionally walked, and a subsequent walk to Poling loaded the bases. Unfortunately, thoughts of an NCWC sweep were erased when Martin drew a walk to force home the winning run.

MU sophomore Emily Beck pitched the complete game, giving up seven hits with two strikeouts. Fulford (9-9) took the loss for the Bishops.

NCWC leading hitters on the day included Payton Gordon, who went 2-for-3 in game one. Game two saw Moshier and Fulford each tally two hits apiece.

The Bishops return to action on Saturday when they host Mary Baldwin College in their final USA South doubleheader of the season. Game one is slated for 1:00 p.m., and Saturday will serve as Parent’s Day.

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