Brown, Lions Claim Victory at Southern Wesleyan

CENTRAL, S.C.- Making his first collegiate start, Zac Brown scattered five hits in 6 1/3 innings as the Mars Hill baseball team earned its first victory of the 2015 season with an 8-0 shutout of Southern Wesleyan at Dr. C. Keith Conner Field. Mars Hill improves to 1-2 while the Warriors fall to 0-1.

Jacob Rand, Phillip Carroll and Lance Edwards each went two-for-four to lead the Lion offense. Ricky Silvestri went two-for-five to lead while Rayshelon Carolina went one-for-five with two RBIs.

Michael Hyman went two-for-four with a stolen base to lead Southern Wesleyan. Daniel Williams, Matt Costa, Jason Moldenhauer and Josh Shimp each had a hit.

The Lions got on the board in the first inning as Dylan Powers led off with a walk, advanced to third on a Carroll double and scored on a Carolina base hit. In the fifth, Evan Rogers worked a one out walk, stole second and scored on a David King single.

Mars Hill added two runs in the sixth on a Rand double that scored Edwards, followed by a Tommy Scala bunt single that plated Carolina. In the seventh, Powers hit his first collegiate home run for a 5-0 Lion advantage. King plated a run in the ninth inning on a passed ball, with two more runs crossing the plate on an Edwards single and a fielder's choice.

Brown allowed one runner in scoring position, stranding him at third base in the third. Brown issued one walk with one strikeout while throwing 77 pitches. Nick Villalobos allowed one hit with two strikeouts in 1 2/3 innings.

Mike Batten was charged with the loss after allowing two runs on six hits with two walks and nine strikeouts in 4 2/3 innings.

Mars Hill opens South Atlantic Conference play this weekend at Tusculum. The teams will play a single, nine-inning game on Friday at 6 p.m. followed by a doubleheader on Saturday beginning at 1 p.m.