Lions pounce Piedmont International, earn sweep
The Mars Hill baseball team (10-12) swept Piedmont International (2-6) at Henderson Field on Tuesday afternoon, taking game one by a score of 20-2 and game two by a mark of 17-6.
MARS HILL, N.C. - The Mars Hill baseball team (10-12) swept Piedmont International (2-6) at Henderson Field on Tuesday afternoon, taking game one by a score of 20-2 and game two by a mark of 17-6.
GAME ONE: MHU 20, PIU 2
Mars Hill put up 10 runs in the bottom of the first inning, beginning with Scottie Lee's two-run single that plated Daniel Vitello and Harrison Keslar. Lee later scored, along with Brett Brubaker, off of Paul Martin's two-run double. After going up 5-0, Vitello's two-run single extended the Mars Hill lead further. Brubaker's two-run single and Lee's RBI groundout closed out the opening frame.
The Lions tacked on five more runs in the fourth, highlighted by Jordan Lathe's two-run single that scored Devin Mangum and Austin Purser. Lathe, in the bottom of the sixth and leading 18-0, drove in another run with a RBI single that scored Purser.
Piedmont International broke the shutout bid with two runs in the top of the seventh. Josh Williams' RBI groundout scored Bryan Deegan while Wesley Ambrose's double down the right field line plated Lemonte Johnson.
Vitello and Lathe led the Lions with three hits while also adding three RBI apiece. Lee led all players with four RBI in the game.
Max Poole picked up the win, allowing two hits in four innings while striking out five. Dylan Ramirez, in 0.1 innings pitched, gave up five runs on five hits for the loss.
GAME TWO: MHU 17, PIU 6
Mars Hill gave up a two-run home run in the top of the first to the Bruins' John Giboyeaux, but the Lions responded with nine runs to take a seven-run lead into the second. Following Gray McCurry's RBI double, Cam Wright's single down the left field line tied the game at two as McCurry scored.
After taking a 3-2 lead, Mars Hill's Jackson Leck singled to center field to plate both Wright and Hunter Holland for their fifth run of the frame. A RBI single from Austin Purser and RBI double from Jordan Lathe put Mars Hill up 7-2 before McCurry's two-run double provided Mars Hill the 9-2 advantage.
The Bruins pulled within five, scoring one run in each the second and third innings, but Mars Hill rebuilt their seven-run lead in the bottom of the fourth. Adam Plouffe's RBI groundout put the Lions in double-digits and Wright's single to right field scored Jordan Lathe for his second RBI of the game.
In the bottom of the fourth, both Kameron Reynolds and Purser hit solo home runs to extend the Mars Hill lead to 13-5 entering the fifth. Mars Hill added three runs in the bottom of the sixth, highlighted by Cody Cline's two-run bomb over the center field wall.
Cody English picked up the win, going three innings and allowing four runs on four hits. Luke Kimrey earned the save. Weston Markle allowed 11 runs on 11 hits in 2.2 innings pitched for the loss.
Mars Hill hosts Limestone at Henderson Field on Wednesday, March 13th in non-conference play. First pitch is scheduled for 2 p.m.