Lions trounce Cavaliers for SAC series win

MARS HILL, N.C. - The Mars Hill baseball team (4-9, 2-1 SAC) defeated UVa-Wise (7-6, 1-2 SAC) by a score of 17-4 to take the series, 2-1, Saturday afternoon at Henderson Field.

The Lions offense struck early and often in the contest.  Mars Hill plated four runs apiece in the first two innings, carrying an 8-1 lead into the third.  

In the first, Ruben Trillo's sacrifice fly opened the scoring, plating Austin Treadway.  Later in the inning, with two runners on, Scottie Lee's two-run single put the Lions up by three.  In the bottom of the second with the bases loaded, back-to-back walks to Tyler Lala and Trillo extended the Lions lead to five.  Casey Mawhinney's RBI single scored Kameron Reynolds and was followed by Lee's sacrifice fly, scoring Lala for the Lions' eighth run.

Mars Hill posted six runs over the next two innings, going up 14-1 after four.  Both Kameron Reynolds and Jordan Lathe hit two-run home runs in the third and fourth innings, respectively.  

The Cavaliers, after scoring the first run of the game, struck again in the sixth inning with Ethan Fletcher's solo home run to left center field.  Mars Hill responded with two runs in the bottom of the frame as both Hunter Holland and Brendan Emery recorded RBI singles.  Cal Hubbard followed suit in the bottom of the sevent with a RBI single of his own, plating Trevor Bailey.

UVa-Wise added two more runs in the top of the eighth, highlighted by Tyler Campbell's solo home run.

Mars Hill recorded 16 hits on the day with Treadway, Reynolds, Mawhinney, and Hubbard leading the way with two apiece.  Lee, Reynolds, and Trillo each had a game-high three RBI.

Luke Kimrey picked up the win, allowing one run on four hits in five innings pitched while striking out four.

Mars Hill returns to action on Wednesday, February 26 at home when they host Erskine.  First pitch is scheduled for 2 p.m.