Fayetteville, NC - The 2025 season came to a close for North Carolina Wesleyan baseball on Thursday afternoon, as the Battling Bishops dropped both games in the opening round of the USA South Conference Tournament, falling 21-10 to Southern Virginia and 15-0 to Methodist at Armstrong-Shelley Field in Fayetteville.

Game 1: Southern Virginia 21, N.C. Wesleyan 10
In a game that saw an offensive explosion from both teams, Southern Virginia ultimately outslugged the Bishops in a 21-10 final.

Senior second baseman Javier Quintana continued his strong campaign with a 2-for-4 performance, including a double, an RBI, and three runs scored. Caleb Elias launched a three-run home run in the fifth inning, and Jackson Hobbs went 3-for-4 with a two-run double. Seth Jones also added three hits and an RBI.

Despite a 14-hit output from Wesleyan's lineup, Southern Virginia pounded out 21 hits of their own and capitalized on defensive miscues and wild pitches to take control. SVU's Marcelino Leonardo Jr. led the way offensively, going 5-for-6 with seven RBIs and a home run, while Stauffer added a two-run shot of his own.

Drake Hobgood (3-5) took the loss after allowing nine runs over three innings. The Knights pulled away with eight combined runs in the sixth and seventh frames before sealing the win with a three-run eighth.

Game 2: Methodist 15, N.C. Wesleyan 0
Facing elimination later in the day, the Bishops couldn't recover offensively and were blanked by top-seeded Methodist in a 15-0 decision.

Methodist capitalized on five Bishop errors and multiple wild pitches to put the game away early, scoring five in the second and two more in the third. The Monarchs added four runs in both the fifth and sixth innings to put the game out of reach.

Wesleyan managed six hits in the game, with Jackson Hobbs and Colin Scoggins each tallying two. Aydin Zimmerman added a double and a single in the loss. Starter Marc DeNunzio (3-3) suffered the defeat after allowing five runs—three earned—over two innings.

Methodist's Kyle Molivas (8-2) tossed six scoreless innings, striking out seven to earn the win, while Melvin provided the offensive spark with a three-run homer and two doubles.

North Carolina Wesleyan concludes its 2025 campaign with an overall record of 11-28, going 9-12 in conference play. The Bishops will now shift focus to the offseason and the continued development of a young core for the future.