FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. – The Hanover baseball team hit the road for North Carolina taking on Methodist Saturday afternoon splitting a double-header. The Blue and Red dropped the opener 6-4 before winning the night cap 3-1.

Game one saw senior Zach Chapman (Loveland, Ohio) take the ball pitching six complete innings with two strikeouts. Junior Eli Copner (Zionsville, Ind.) closed out the contest for the Blue and Red surrendering three runs on two hits.

Hanover struck first as sophomore Andrew Littlefield (Louisville, Ky.) continued his hot streak at the plate ripping a ball to right field. Senior Spencer Coop (Lexington, Ky.) used patience at the dish to push Littlefield to second when senior Mark Walkenhorst (Fort Thomas, Ky.) drew a walk loading the bases. Sophomore Charlie Burton (Columbus, Ind.) provided the clutch hit as he drove a ball through the right side that scored both Coop and Littlefield, 2-0. Methodist got one run back in the bottom half of the inning before Chapman was able to retire the side and leave two runners stranded.

The top of the fourth saw the Hanover patience at the plate pay off as senior Brayden Imel (Barbourville, Ky.) drew a one out walk before advancing to second on a freshman Jacob Dupps (Louisville, Ky.) base on balls. With runners in scoring position, Littlefield deemed clutch as he also drew a walk that loaded the bases and scored Imel, 3-1. The innings final run came off a Methodist wild pitch that plated Dupps.

However, Methodist responded getting one run back in the bottom of the sixth inning before sending four runners across home plate in the bottom of the seventh inning to capture the non-conference victory.

In the night cap, Hanover used a strong first inning to capture the lead. The Panthers opened the inning with back-to-back walks before Burton provided a two out double to left center that scored junior Zeke Porta (Louisville, Ky.). Littlefield would score on the next batter as he reached home plate on a Methodist wild pitch that extended the Blue and Red lead to 2-0. The final run of the inning came off the bat of sophomore Jake Schaefer (Cincinnati, Ohio) who singled up the middle propelling Hanover to the 3-0 advantage.

The Methodist lone spot came in the bottom of the sixth as they scored one run before Hanover was able to retire the side. Freshman Bradley McDowell (Greenfield, Ind.) captured his first win of the season on the mound pitching six complete innings with two strike outs. Senior Sam Crick (Seymour, Ind.) garnered the team's first save of 2020 throwing the final three innings with two K's.

Hanover returns to action on Sunday, March 8 when they wrap up their three-game series with Methodist. First pitch is slated for noon.