Purser homers twice versus Wingate

MARS HILL, N.C. - The Mars Hill baseball team (12-18, 2-12 SAC) was swept by Wingate (22-9, 9-3 SAC) Saturday afternoon at Henderson Field, dropping game one by a score of 8-5 and game two, 6-5.

GAME ONE: WU 8, MHU 5

Wingate's Andrew Llewellyn led the Bulldog's to an 8-5 victory in game one with a game-winning three-run home run in the top of the ninth.

Llewelleyn entered the game as a pinch hitter and on the second pitch he saw, launched the ball over the left field wall to plate Logan McNeely and Jed Bryant and provide Wingate the 8-5 advantage in the final frame.

Hunter Dula entered the contest in the bottom of the ninth and picked up two quick outs.  Following a walk to Cody Cline, Dula gave up two singles to Daniel Vitello and Cam Wright to load the bases.  Scottie Lee's line drive to center field was caught by the diving Justin Guy to secure the Bulldogs' victory.

After two and half scoreless innings, Vitello's sacrifice fly scored Paul Martin for the first run of the contest in the bottom of the third.  Wingate responded with twoo solo home runs in the top of the fourth from Bryant and McNeely.

The Lions scored three runs in the bottom of the fifth, highlighted by Brett Brubaker's two-run single that scored Adam Plouffe and Martin to extend the Mars Hill lead to 4-2 entering the sixth.  Off of a Wingate error in the bottom of the sixth, Austin Purser crossed home to put the Lions up 5-2.

In the top of the eighth, Wingate knotted the game at five by scoring three runs, highlighted by Guy's two-run single through the left side of the infield with the bases loaded.  McNeely and Dula scored while Reece Daniel advanced to third.  Daniel later scored the tyng run off of a sacrifice fly from Zach Little.

Bryant led all players with three hits in the game.  Both Martin and Brubaker led the Lions with two hits apiece.

Brody McCullough picked up the win, allowing one hit in two innings pitched.  Luke Kimrey was credited with the loss, allowing three runs on three hits in one inning pitched.  Troy Hall started the contest for Mars Hill, striking out 11 in seven innings pitched while allowing two runs on seven hits.

GAME TWO: WU 6, MHU 5

Entering the final inning once again tied at five, Andrew Llewellyn played hero once more for Wingate with the game-winning RBI double that plated Jed Bryant.

Llewellyn opened the scoring in the top of the second with a RBI single to left field that plated Tyler Schneider.  With the bases loaded later in the inning and no outs, Reece Daniel grounded into a double play that allowed Llewellyn to score the Bulldogs' second run of the frame.

Austin Purser tied the game at two with one swing of the bat in the bottom half of the inning, launching a two-run home run over the left field fence.  Purser gave the Lions the 3-2 lead in the bottom of the fourth with a solo home run--his second of the game--to center field.

In the top of the fifth, Wingate retook the lead off of Bryant's three-run home run to left field to go up 5-3.  Mars Hill tied the game at five in the bottom of the sixth.  With the bases loaded, Kameron Reynolds was hit by a pitch, plating Paul Martin to pull within one.  Jordan Lathe's sacrifice fly to center allowed Adam Plouffe to score the tying run.

Llewellyn collected three RBI in the game and went 3-for-4 in the contest.  Purser led the Lions with two hits and three RBI.

Hunter Dula picked up his first win of the season, striking out one in 1.1 innings pitched.  Austin Marler was credited with the loss, giving up one run on two hits in 0.2 innings pitched.

The Lions return to Henderson Field on Tuesday, March 26th when they host King in non-conference play.  First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m.