Solid Pitching, Offense Lead Lions to Sweep of St Andrews

LAURINBURG, N.C. – A quartet of Mars Hill pitchers allowed just two hits on the afternoon while the offense smacked 21 hits as the Lions swept St Andrews 5-0 and 10-0 on Sunday afternoon. With the wins, Mars Hill moves to 9-5 on the season and completes its weekend road trip with a 3-1 record.

Game 1: Mars Hill 5, St. Andrews 0

Jamie Booze allowed one hit in five innings as Mars Hill won the opening game of the doubleheader 5-0.

The Lions got on the board with a pair of runs in the third inning. Shaundee Woosley reached on a St. Andrews error and advanced to second thanks to a Brittany Gibson single. After a Jamie Hockaday single loaded the bases, Cori Dew brought Woosley and Gibson home for a 2-0 lead.

St Andrews loaded the bases with two outs in the home half of the third inning after a pair of walks and a single, but Booze got Kori Ballard to line out to Lion third baseman Robyn Stanek, who tagged Kim Baird out as she tried to return to the base, ending the inning.

Dew led off the Mars Hill fifth with a double. After a popout, Aleshia Peek was hit by a pitch, with Dew and Peek advancing a base on a wild pitch. Dew scored on a Shelby Culler sacrifice fly for a 3-0 Lion lead.

Mars Hill added two runs in the sixth. Gibson led off with a single, stole second and scored on a Stanek double. Hockaday followed with a base hit, advancing Stanek to third base before she scored on a Dew sacrifice fly. Mars Hill had runners at second and third with two outs, but a groundout ended the frame.

Gibson had a happy homecoming, as the Laurinburg native went three-for-three with two runs scored and a stolen base. Booze helped her cause, going three-for-four at the plate with three singles. Dew went two for three with a double, run scored and 3 RBIs. Hockaday went two-for-three with a pair of singles. Culler and Stanek each went one-for-three with a double.

Booze earned her third win of the season, allowing one hit over five innings with four walks and three strikeouts. Culler threw two innings in relief, walking one batter and striking out five.

Kimberly Cook is the losing pitcher, allowing five runs, four earned, on 12 hits with two walks and two strikeouts.

Game 2: Mars Hill 10, St Andrews 0 (5 Innings)

Jamie Hockaday drove in five runs as the Lions used a six run third inning to take control of the contest.

Mars Hill took advantage of a leadoff walk to start the game. Shaundee Woosley reached on a free pass and advanced to second on a groundout. Cori Dew smacked a two out single, scoring Woosley for a 1-0 mars Hill lead.

In the Mars Hill second, Aleshia Peek reached on a one out single. After a popout, Kyara Porche executed a bunt single, moving Peek to second.  Woosley followed with a two run single and advanced to second on a Knights error. An error and a walk to Robyn Stanek loaded the bases before Hockaday cleared them on a triple to right field, with Hockaday crossing the plate on a throwing error by St Andrews right fielder Jessie Wiegers.

Mars Hill added three runs in the fifth inning. Porche led off with a single and advanced to second on an error by Knights center fielder Mekayla Valentine. After two popouts, Stanek doubled to score Porche. Hockaday capped her five RBI performance with a two-run home run.

Hockaday went two-for-five with a triple, home run, two runs scored and five RBIs. Dew went two-for-three with two singles and an RBI. Woosley went one-for-two with a single, two runs scored and two RBIs. Porche went two-for-three with two runs scored. Stanek went one-for-three with a double, two runs scored and an RBI.

Allie Carrigan earned her first win of the season in her first start, throwing four hitless innings with a walk and a strikeout. Tyler Miles allowed one hit with a walk and a strikeout in an inning of work.

Brittany Gunn took the loss after she allowed four runs, three earned, on four this with two walks in 1.2 innings of work.

Mars Hill returns to Ponder Field on Saturday, welcoming Young Harris for a doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m.