Lions hand Tusculum first SAC loss of season
The Mars Hill baseball team (5-8, 5-7 SAC) picked up the Sunday split, defeating Tusculum (10-2, 7-1) in game two, 12-11. They fell in game one by a score of 8-5.
MARS HILL, N.C. - The Mars Hill baseball team (5-8, 5-7 SAC) picked up the Sunday split, defeating Tusculum (10-2, 7-1) in game two, 12-11. They fell in game one by a score of 8-5.
GAME ONE: TU 8, MHU 5
The Pioneers were able to hold off the Lions late in game one, picking up their third win of the series.
Tied at two entering the top of the third, Tusculum plated three runs, highlighted by a Brandon Trammell two-run single. In the fourth, the Pioneers scored another two off of Mars Hill errors. They extended their lead to six off of a Bryson Ford RBI groundout in the top half of the fifth.
The Lions cut into the lead in the bottom of the fifth off of Austin Treadway's two-run single to right field, plating Scottie Lee and Tyler Lala. Casey Mawhinney hit into a RBI groundout that saw Austin Purser cross home.
Zane Keener opened the scoring for the Pioneers with a solo home run in the first. Daulton Martin's RBI double saw the Tusculum lead go to 2-0. In the bottom of the second, Treadway recorded his first RBI of the game, a sacrifice fly. Chad Sikes tied the game at two, scoring off of a Pioneers' wild pitch.
Trammell and Treadway led their respective teams with three RBI. Purser and Treadway led the Lions' offense with two hits apiece.
Keegan Ernest picked up the win, allowing five runs off of six hits in 4.1 innings pitched.
GAME TWO: MHU 12, TU 11
The Lions claimed the last game of the series in dramatic fashion off of Kyle Jenkins' walkoff single.
Down 11-10 in the bottom of the ninth, a pinch hit RBI single off the bat of Ruben Trillo tied the game, plating Trey Putnam. Trillo advanced to second on the throw home. Following an intentional walk to Jordan Lathe to load the bases, Jenkins ripped a shot into left center field to plate Kameron Reynolds for the game-winning run.
Entering the bottom of the second down 4-0, the Lions' offense exploded for seven runs in the frame, highlighted by two-run singles off the bat of Jenkins and Scottie Lee.
The Pioneers rallied to tie the game in the top of the fourth which included an inside the park home run from Bryson Ford, but the Lions responded with two runs of their own to carry a 9-7 lead into the fifth.
After trading a run apiece in the fifth frame, Tusculum tied the game with a Daulton Martin RBI triple in the top of the sixth. They took the lead in the top of the ninth off of a Brandon Trammell opposite field two-run home run, leading 11-10.
Ford led all players with four RBI while Martin and Zane Keener led the Pioneers with three hits apiece. Jenkins led the Lions with three RBI as Lee posted a team-high three hits.
Carlton Jackson picked up his first win of the season, striking out two in one inning of work. Mitch McCain suffered the loss despite striking out seven in 5.1 innings pitched.
Mars Hill returns to Henderson Field on Saturday, March 13 when they host Coker. First pitch is set for 12 p.m.
