Rocky Mount, NC - The N.C. Wesleyan baseball team kicked off its weekend series against conference foe Methodist with a big win on Saturday afternoon, rallying late to secure a 7-5 victory at Bauer Field.

The Basics:
Score: N.C. Wesleyan 7, Methodist 5
Location/Venue: Rocky Mount, NC / Bauer Field
Records: N.C. Wesleyan (7-21, 5-8 USA South), Methodist (21-10, 10-3 USA South)

The Bishops used an eighth-inning surge to pull ahead after the teams battled back and forth throughout the early innings. Methodist held a 5-4 lead heading into the bottom of the eighth, but a key three-run frame helped NCWU grab control and ultimately claim the series opener.

Jackson Hobbs and Colin Scoggins each scored twice for Wesleyan, with Scoggins adding a triple and RBI in the opening frame to match Methodist's early run. After Methodist took a 3-1 lead in the third, Wesleyan responded in the bottom half of the inning with three runs. Brady Williams plated a run with a sacrifice fly, followed by an RBI single from Maison Nance, and a bases-loaded walk drawn by Aydin Zimmerman to give NCWU a 4-3 advantage.

The Monarchs briefly reclaimed the lead in the sixth on RBI hits by Blunt and Deal, but the Bishop bullpen held firm from there. Caleb Dennis was sharp in relief, tossing 3.0 innings of one-hit, scoreless ball with three strikeouts to earn the win.

The eighth-inning rally began with Zimmerman scoring on an error before Jackson Ellyson crossed the plate on the same play. Javier Quintana then capped the inning with a clutch RBI single to left, driving in Ellyson to give Wesleyan a 7-5 lead.

Quintana and Scoggins both finished with two hits apiece, while Hobbs reached base three times with a hit and two walks. Wesleyan drew six free passes and took advantage of a costly Methodist error that led to the decisive rally.

On the mound, starter Marc DeNunzio worked 6.0 innings, scattering eleven hits and allowing four earned runs while striking out four. Dennis followed with a shutdown effort to seal the win.

Up Next:
Baseball concludes the series with Methodist on Sunday at 1:00 PM for a DH.