Lions cruise past Bluefield State in 2018 home finale

MARS HILL, N.C. – The Mars Hill (21-23-1) defeated Bluefield State (13-17), 17-4, in non-conference play in 2018 home finale at Henderson Field Wednesday afternoon.

Trailing 2-0 entering the bottom of the fourth, the Lions scored five runs to take the lead.

Leading off the inning, Christian Stampler hammered the first pitch he saw over the center field fence for his 16^th homerun of the year. Later in the inning, with runners on second and third, Brendan Emery hit a two-run single to center field to give Mars Hill the 3-2 lead. After loading the bases, a single off the bat of Brett Brubaker plated two more runs as Emery and Daniel Vitello scored.

In the bottom of the fifth, Barrett Hennings hit his second homerun of the season over the left-center field fence. Shomarii Thomas was walked in the following at-bat and driven in by a double from Gray McCurry to give the Lions a five-run advantage.

The Lions scored seven in the sixth. Harrison Keslar hit a two-RBI triple into right field to extend the Lions' lead to seven. A sacrifice fly from Hennings scored Keslar to put Mars Hill in double-digits. Vitello added a RBI double followed by a two-RBI single from Devin Mangum. A Bluefield State error allowed the Lions to score their 14^th run of the game.

Bluefield State plated their third run of the game in the top of the seventh with a RBI groundout from Drew D'Angelo to cut the lead down to 14-3. A fourth error from the Blues allowed the Lions to plate another run to go up 15-3 heading into the eighth.

Cameron Wright, with his first hit of the year, hit a solo homerun to center field to give Mars Hill a 13-run lead in the bottom of the eighth. Keslar drove in another run with a RBI double to center field.

In the top of the ninth, Kendall Rolen drove home the fourth Blues' run with a RBI double to center field.

The Blues opened the scoring in the top of the second inning. With the bases loaded, William O'Hara drove in Cole Blocker. In the top of the fourth, Bluefield State doubled their lead when Peyton Durham hit a solo homerun to left-center field.

Keslar went 2-for-4 with three RBI. Durham led the Blues offensively, going 2-for-4.

Bryson Bailey earned the victory, pitching three innings and allowing one run on two hits. Adam Stambaugh suffered the loss, giving up four earned runs on four hits in 0.1 innings pitched.

The Lions kick off their final South Atlantic Conference three-game series on Friday against Lincoln Memorial. First pitch is scheduled for 4 p.m.