Lions Split With Brevard

MARS HILL, N.C.- The Mars Hill softball team split a doubleheader with Brevard on Thursday at Ponder Field, dropping the opener 3-2 before claiming a 6-4 victory in the nightcap. The Lions are 18-14 overall and 4-8 in the South Atlantic Conference.

Game 1: Brevard 3, Mars Hill 2

Brevard scored a run in the third, fourth, and fifth innings, then held off a bases-loaded threat in the seventh for the win.

Mars Hill got on the board with a pair of runs in the first inning. Cori Dew reached on a fielder's choice and scored on a Brevard error. An Aleshia Peek two-out single plated Robyn Stanek to give the Lions an early lead.

The Tornados got on the board as Michelle Ray reached on a single to lead off the third inning and scored on an Alyssa Miller one-out single. Brevard tied the game at two after Emily Boykin led off the fourth inning with a double and scored on a Mars Hill error. In the Mars Hill fourth, a single and two walks loaded the bases with two outs, but a flyout ended the inning.

Brevard scored the go-ahead run in the fifth inning after Miller reached on one-out walk, stole second advanced to third on a single and scored on a Casey Whitaker infield hit. Brevard had the bases loaded with one out, but a pair of fielder's choices minimized the damage to one run.

The Lions didn't go quietly, mounting a two-out rally that began with a Peek single. Jamie Booze and Brittany Gibson followed with base hits to load the bases, however a diving catch by Tornado left fielder Lauren Parker in foul territory ended the game.

Peek went two-for-four with two singles and an RBI. Stanek went one-for-four with a single and run scored. Gibson, Booze, Shaundee Woosley, Jamie Hockaday, and Erin Vickery each had a hit for Mars Hill. The Lions stranded 12 runners on base, with Brevard leaving eight.

Alyssa Miller earned her third win of the season, holding Mars Hill hitless in 2.1 scoreless innings. Jamie Hrobak earned her second save of the season. Hrobak started the game and returned to the circle in the sixth inning, allowing two unearned runs on eight hits with a walk and seven strikeouts in 4.2 innings. Taylor Hussey took the loss, allowing three runs, two earned, on eight hits with two walks and a strikeout in 4.2 innings.

Game 2: Mars Hill 6, Brevard 4

Mars Hill scored five runs via the longball thanks to a three-run home run by Shaundee Woosley and a two-run home run from Jamie Hockaday to salvage a split.

The Tornados and Lions traded runs in the first inning, with Brevard's Kinny Davis scoring on a Casey Whitaker double in the top half of the frame. Mars Hill answered with a Hockaday single that plated Woosley.

Brittany Gibson was hit by a pitch to begin the Mars Hill second inning and advanced to second on a groundout. Following a Lauren Saller walk, Woosley homered to center field, giving the Lions a 4-1 lead.

Brevard cut the lead to two in the fourth after Kinsey Parrish led off with a walk, stole second and third and scored on a Brittany Fowler single.

Mars Hill answered in the fourth inning as Cori Dew led off with a single down the left field line and advanced to second on the throw. Hockaday hit her sixth home run of the season for a 6-2 Lion lead.

Brevard added a run in the fifth on a Mars Hill error and a two-out solo home run in the seventh to complete the scoring.

Woosley went two-for-three with a single, home run, two runs scored and three RBIs, while Hockaday went two-for-four with a single, home run, run scored and three RBIs to lead the Lion offense. Dew went two-for-three with a pair of singles. Stanek went one-for-four with a single to extend her hitting streak to 14 games. Aleshia Peek went one-for-three with a single.

Jamie Booze went the distance for her sixth win of the season, allowing four runs, three earned, on nine hits with two walks and five strikeouts. Whitaker took the loss, allowing four runs, three earned, on three hits with a walk in 1.1 innings of work.

Mars Hill returns to action on Saturday, hosting Queens in a doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m.