FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Gary Holden, Sports Info. Director
(540) 365-4306
 
March 31, 2003
 

Ferrum Baseball Splits with #2 Methodist
Panthers Debut in National Rankings at #11
 
Ferrum, Va. -- The Ferrum College baseball team improved to 19-2 overall this afternoon by splitting a Dixie Conference doubleheader at Methodist College.  The Panthers won the first game 6-2, only to see Methodist take the nightcap 13-1.  The games were scheduled for Saturday and Sunday, but due to inclement weather conditions in Fayetteville, North Carolina, the games were postponed to this afternoon.

          Ferrum 6, Methodist 2
          Methodist 13, Ferrum
 
The Monarchs are ranked #2 in the nation in this week's American Baseball Coaches Association's NCAA Division III poll, while Ferrum cracks the poll at #11.  To see the entire poll, please visit the following link:

          http://www.muhlenberg.edu/sports/abcapoll.html
 
In the first game, senior Jason Beale (Charlottesville, Va./W. Albemarle) went 2-3 with a home run, two runs, and three RBI.  He also pitched all nine innings for Ferrum, allowing seven hits while striking out nine and walking three.  Senior Wes Martin (Woolwine, Va./Patrick County) and junior Ricky Peace (Hopewell, Va./Hopewell) each had a pair of base hits for Ferrum.

The Panthers could muster only five base hits in the nightcap, while Methodist tallied 13.  Freshman Jesse Bowles (Boones Mill, Va./Franklin Co.) went 2-2 with a double and a run scored.  Martin had a triple and Peace doubled.
 
Ferrum is currently 19-2 overall and 5-1 in the Dixie, while Methodist is 19-6 overall and 3-3 in the Dixie.  The Panthers play next on April 2 when they host Greensboro College in another Dixie doubleheader, beginning at 3 p.m. For more information, please contact the Ferrum sports information office at (540) 365-4306.
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