Mars Hill earns split with Anderson on road in 2019 SAC finale

ANDERSON, S.C. - The Mars Hill baseball team (18-26, 5-18 SAC) earned a split in their final South Atlantic Conference series of the 2019 campaign over Anderson (19-29, 8-16 SAC) Monday afternoon on the road.  The Lions dropped game one by a score of 16-4, but defeated the Trojans by a mark of 6-3 in the series finale.

GAME ONE: AU 16, MHU 4

The Trojans reeled off 14 unanswered runs in the final four innings to earn the series win and take game one Monday afternoon.

Trailing 4-2 in the bottom of the fifth, the Trojans began their scoring spree.  With the bases loaded, Brandon Odachowski's two-run single up the middle tied the game at four.  Jackson Strange reached on a fielder's choice later in the inning, allowing Chandler Castleberry to score the go-ahead run.

Anderson extended their lead further in the sixth inning, scoring three more runs to enter the seventh up 8-4.  In the seventh and eighth innings, Anderson added four runs apiece to balloon their lead into double-digits.

Dillon Carpenter opened the scoring for the Trojans in the first inning with a RBI single.  Mars Hill, however, scored twice in the top of the second to take the lead.  With the bases loaded, Devin Mangum drew a walk for the tying run and Kameron Reynold's fielder's choice allowed Paul Martin to score the Lions' second run.

In the top of the fourth, Austin Treadway added to the Mars Hill lead with a RBI single that plated Scottie Lee.  Strange, in the bottom half of the frame, brought the lead back down to one with a sacrifice fly.  Answering back in the top of the fifth, Matt Honeycutt drove in Daniel Vitello with a RBI single through the right side of the infield.

Both Carpenter and Strange had four RBI while Castleberry and Cody Adams scored four runs apiece.

GAME TWO: MHU 6, AU 3

The Lions responded in game two with a 6-3 win to earn the split.  Mike Rammuno allowed three runs on four hits while striking out six in the complete game victory.

Matt Honeycutt put the Lions up 1-0 in the first with a solo home run to left field.  In the top of the second, Hunter Holland launched a two-run home run to left center to give Mars Hill a three-run lead.  Later in the frame, off of an Anderson throwing error, Scottie Lee reached first while both Cal Hubbard and Jordan Lathe crossed home to give the Lions a five-run advantage.

In the bottom half of the second, Joseph Strange doubled down the left field line to put the Trojans on the board, scoring Trevor Weisner.  After a scoreless third, the Lions capitalized once again on a Trojans' error as Hubbard stole third and advanced home for his second run of the game.

Anderson scored twice in the seventh to cut the Mars Hill lead in half, but Rammuno and the Lions' defense held strong to pick up their 18th win of the year.

Holland led all players with two hits and two RBI.

The Lions conclude the 2019 season on Tuesday, April 23rd when they take on UVa-Wise on the road.  First pitch is scheduled for 5 p.m.