ROCKY MOUNT, N.C. — The Averett University baseball team lost to N.C. Wesleyan College 8-3 on Sunday in its series finale at Bauer Field.

N.C. Wesleyan (9-1, 3-0 USA South) scored first when Nate Gardner hit a shot up the middle, bringing in Logan Andrews in the first inning to give the Bishops a 1-0 lead, and they made it 2-0 in Trey Croom's RBI single in the third. Averett (1-9, 0-3 USA South) answered back when junior Bradley Tickle's RBI groundout scored freshman Chase McKinney in the fourth inning, getting the Cougars within 2-1.

The Bishops got the run back in the fifth inning on another RBI single by Gardner. Once again, Averett answered. Tickle reached on an error that scored McKinney and junior Dallas Smithers, tying the game 3-3 in the top of the sixth.

N.C. Wesleyan, however, pulled away in the seventh inning by scoring five runs in the frame to seal the final game of the three-game series.

Averett returns home to face Guilford College on Wednesday at 2:30 p.m.