FERRUM, Va. -- Jeffery Swoope's RBI single in the bottom of the ninth inning drove in Justin Cox for the game-winning run to help Ferrum College beat Methodist University 3-2 in baseball this afternoon at Panther Field.  It was the final outing in a three-game USA South series between the two schools.

Cox tripled down the right field line to oepn the ninth inning.  Swoope drilled the second pitch he saw through the gap and into right field to score Cox from third.  It was Swoope's second base hit of the day.  Cox went 3-4 with a triple and two runs for Ferrum.  Wes Walker went 2-4 with a double and a run, while Eddie McGrath was 2-4 with an RBI.

Justin Puentes earned the win, pitching the final two innings and allowing three hits and two earned runs.  Starter Tyler Easterly scattered six hits over seven innings, walked two and struck out three. 

Steven Kirby and Chris Power each had a pair of base hits for the Monarchs (6-5, 4-5 USA South).  Michael Judge got the loss, puitching 2.1 innings with four hits and an earned run.  Methodist won the first two games of the series yesterday, 5-3 and 11-8. 


Ferrum (6-7, 3-6 USA South) returns to action Thursday, Feb. 28, at Roanoke College.  The non-conference game gets underway at 3:00 in Salem, Virginia.  Coach Darren Hodges' team will then play a three-game USA South series at Averett University Friday through Sunday, March 1-3, in Danville, Virginia.