Softball Splits With Francis Marion

FLORENCE, S.C. – The Mars Hill softball team split a pair of games at Francis Marion on Saturday afternoon, claiming a 3-1 extra-inning victory in game one before falling 1-0 in game two.

Game 1: Mars Hill 3, Francis Marion 1 (8 Innings)

The Lions and Patriots played seven scoreless innings, combining for a total of five hits during that stretch. Francis Marion threatened to end the game with a run in the seventh as Katie Carnes reached on a leadoff double and was pulled for Lindsey Brown as a pinch runner. Brown reached third on a sacrifice bunt by Danielle Myers, but Mars Hill starter Taylor Hussey got a groundout and a flyout to get out of the inning and force extras.

Mars Hill pushed three runs across in their half of the eighth. After being placed at second base due to the International Tiebreaker rule and pinch running for Shelby Culler, Lauren Saller advanced to third on a Kyara Porche single. Taylor Luff got a pair of popouts before walking Robyn Stanek with the bases loaded. Jamie Hockaday cleared the bases with her sixth double of the season to give Mars Hill a 3-0 lead. Francis Marion plated a run on a two out single, but Hussey got a groundout to end the game.

Hockaday went one-for-three with a double. Stanek, Porche, Aleshia Peek and Jamie Booze each had a hit. Porche stole her third base of the season.

Kristie Hanewinckel went two-for-three with a pair of singles to lead Francis Marion. Carnes went one-for-three with a double. Both teams left six runners on base.

Hussey went the distance, allowing one unearned run on three hits with two walks and three strikeouts. Luff took her second loss of the season, allowing three runs, two earned, on five hits with three walks and 10 strikeouts.

Game 2: Francis Marion 1, Mars Hill 0

The Lions dropped a heartbreaker in game two as Francis Marion scored the only run of the game with one out in the seventh inning. Of Mars Hill's five losses this season, two have come on the final at-bat.

Briana Barzola led off the seventh with a walk and advanced to second on a groundout. Kristie Hanewinckel was the hero for Francis Marion, lining a double to center field that brought home Barzola. Mars Hill had a chance to take the lead in the top half of the inning as Jamie Booze reached on a leadoff walk and advanced to second on an Aleshia Peek single.  Booze and Peek advanced a base on a Lauren Saller sacrifice bunt, but a pair of groundouts ended the inning. The Lions had baserunners in the fifth inning but Francis Marion got out of the frame without any damage thanks to three fielder's choices.

Mars Hill received singles from Cori Dew, Saller and Peek. The Lions stranded seven runners on base.

Katie Carnes earned her third win of the season, scattering three hits across seven shutout innings with three walks and one strikeout. Culler is the tough-luck loser, allowing one run on seven hits with four walks and two strikeouts in 6.1 innings of work. 

Mars Hill continues its weekend road trip tomorrow with a doubleheader against St. Andrews University.