Lions fall late to Erskine on road
The Mars Hill baseball team (6-16) dropped a late-inning thriller versus Erskine (16-8) Tuesday afternoon in Marion, North Carolina in non-conference play.
MARION, N.C. – The Mars Hill baseball team (6-16) dropped a late-inning thriller versus Erskine (16-8) Tuesday afternoon in Marion, North Carolina in non-conference play.
A three-run eighth inning provided the Flying Fleet the victory. Back-to-back Erskine RBI doubles tied the game at eight in the bottom of the eighth. Livan Reinos collected his fourth RBI of the game followed by Zach Carter's knock, plating Reinos. Kane Fisher's sacrifice fly to center plated the game-winning run.
The Flying Fleet opened the scoring in the bottom of the first off of Reinoso's RBI single, plating Drew Yniesta. Mars Hill tied the game in the top of the second off of Trevor Bailey's solo home run, a blast to dead center field.
Erskine added three runs in the bottom of the third, highlighted by a two-run double from Reinoso to deep center field to go up 4-1. The Lions clawed back to within one off of Cody Cline's two-run home run to left center field, his second of the season. Later in the inning, the Lions threatened with the bases loaded, however, a lineout to third quelled the threat, leaving the Lions down by one.
Cline tied the game in the top of the fifth with a sacrifice fly to right field for his third RBI of the game, plating Austin Treadway. Mars Hill added four more runs in the inning, two off of bases loaded walks, to carry an 8-4 advantage into the bottom of the stanza.
The Flying Fleet cut into the lead in the bottom half of the frame off of Yniesta's two-run home run to left field, narrowing the deficit to 8-6 after six innings of play.
Reinoso led all players with four RBI, going 3-for-4 from the plate. Both Carter and Cal Bochino added two hits apiece. Cline recorded three RBI on the day to lead the Lions.
Zach Farmer earned the win, moving his record to 2-0 on the year, striking out four and allowing one hit in two innings pitched. Ryan Steffens suffered the loss, allowing nine runs on nine hits in 7.1 innings pitched while striking out five.
The Lions are back at it on Wednesday, March 11 when they square off against Augusta. First pitch is scheduled for 2 p.m.