Baseball Splits with Wingate, Wins SAC Series
The Lions’ baseball team split a double-header with Wingate in South Atlantic Conference baseball action Sunday afternoon at Henderson Field
MARS HILL, N.C. – The Lions' baseball team split a double-header with Wingate in South Atlantic Conference baseball action Sunday afternoon at Henderson Field. Mars Hill won the first game 10-8 and lost the nightcap in extra innings, 12-9. Mars Hill is now 13-5 overall and 2-1 in the SAC. The Bulldogs took their season record to 9-7 overall and 1-2 in the league.
Game 1: Mars Hill 10, Wingate 8
Evan Rogers was 3-3 with three homeruns accumulating six RBI in game one. Logan Conley was 2-4 with a double. Tom Mastrodonato threw 5.1 innings to pick up the win (2-1) on the mound for the Lions.
Shane Billings and Colby Barnette led the Bulldogs at the plate with three hits apiece. Brandon Donahue suffered the loss (2-1) for the Bulldogs on the hill.
Rogers belted a two-run homerun in the Lions first at-bat and then he hit a three-run homerun in the second inning to extend the Lions lead to 5-0. Mars Hill added two more runs in the third inning on three hits. Phillip Carroll scored on a fielder's choice and then Dalton Eisenbath hit a sacrifice fly to plate Christian Stampler.
Barnette hit a two-run homerun down the left field line in the fourth inning to trim the Lions lead to 5-2. Rogers hit his third homerun of the game in the bottom of the fourth frame, a solo shot to left field. Billings crossed the plate on a single by Bill Krebs in the fifth inning to bring the Bulldogs within three runs (6-3) of the Lions.
Mars Hill scored two runs in the sixth inning to extend their advantage to 8-3 before the Bulldogs made things interesting in their final at-bat scoring five runs on eight hits. Mars Hill was able to hold the Bulldogs at bay to obtain the 10-8 victory. The teams combined for 26 hits in the first game.
Game 2: Wingate 12, Mars Hill 9
Logan Conley went 3-4 with three runs scored, a homerun, a double and two RBI to pace the Lions offensively in game two. Eisenbath and Rayshelon Carolina followed Conley's offensive efforts. Eisenbath recorded three RBI and a double while Carolina added two RBI and a pair of stolen bases. Patrick Riehl took the loss (0-1) for MHU pitching in relief.
Krebs was 3-5 with a homerun, a double, two runs scored and five RBI to lead Wingate at the plate. Tyler Brown picked up the win (2-0) throwing the final four innings of the contest.
Conley led the second inning off for the Lions with a solo homerun to left field before Carroll crossed the plate on a fielder's choice to give MHU a 2-0 lead. Wingate took a 4-2 lead in the third inning on three hits and one Lion error. Barnette hit a two-run homerun in the at-bat.
The Lions exploded for five runs in the bottom half of the third inning on three hits and one Wingate miscue. Carolina hit a two-RBI single and Eisenbath hit a two-RBI double to highlight the inning. Wingate cut the Lions' lead to 7-6 scoring two runs on three hits in the top of the fifth inning. Hunter Merrill singled to left field in the bottom of the fifth stanza to drive in Conley and give MHU an 8-6 advantage.
Krebs doubled down the left field line in the seventh inning to plate Billings and then with two outs, Krebs scored the tying run on a Lion error. In the top of the eighth inning, Wingate scored four runs on three hits highlighted by a three-run homerun by Krebs. Brett Brubaker singled up the middle to drive in Lance Edwards to cut Wingate's advantage to 12-9 but that was as close as the Lions would get.
Mars Hill will host King on Tuesday, March 1. First pitch at Henderson Field is set for 2 p.m.