Softball Splits Doubleheader With Catawba

MARS HILL, N.C. - The Mars Hill softball team split a doubleheader with Catawba on Sunday at Ponder Field, dropping the first game 5-0 before a wild, 3-2 extra-inning victory in the nightcap. Mars Hill is 6-15 overall and 2-6 in the South Atlantic Conference while Catawba is 15-13 and 4-6.

Game 1: Catawba 5, Mars Hill 0

Catawba scored two runs in the second and fifth innings while Carley Tysinger struck out 11 batters to give the Lady Indians the opening game victory.

After a leadoff single and a walk to start the second, Caroline Turner hit a single to the left side that scored a pair of runs for a 2-0 lead. Mars Hill threatened in the third with runners at first and second with one out before a strikeout and groundout ended the inning.

The Lady Indians plated two runs in the fifth on a two run home run by Katherine Shumaker. The guests added a run in the top of the seventh on a Natalie Naturile solo home run.

Robyn Stanek and Melissa Garcia each went two-for-three with two singles. Aleshia Peek went one-for-four with a base hit. Mars Hill stranded seven runners but never got a runner to third base in the contest.

Tysinger went the distance, scattering five hits with two walks and seven strikeouts for the win. Shelby Culler took the loss as she surrendered four runs on six hits with three walks and three strikeouts in 4.2 innings.

Game 2: Mars Hill 3, Catawba 2 (8 innings)

Aleshia Peek's bunt base hit with two outs scored the winning run as the Lions salvaged a split in the second game.

In the Mars Hill first, Peek led off with a double, advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt and scored on a Robyn Stanek base hit. Stanek came around to score on an Ellen Tillman double for a 2-0 Mars Hill lead.

Catawba struggled to solve Taylor Hussey before an error gave the Indians a leadoff baserunner in the sixth. After a fielder's choice and a groundout, Taylor Adams hit a two out double to get the Indians on the scoreboard.

Chelsea Broughman struck out the first two Catawba batters in the seventh inning before a single and a walk put runners on first and second for Natalie Naturile. Naturile hit a long foul ball that just missed being a home run before smacking a double to left center to score a run. Aleshia Peek, Jamie Booze and Erin Vickery teamed up to retire what would have been the go-ahead run to keep the contest even at two. In the seventh, Mars Hill had two batters reach on walks but Tysinger would strike out the side to force extra innings.

After Broughman and the Lion defense kept Catawba off the scoreboard in their half of the eighth, Patricia Thompson was placed on second as the international tiebreaker runner and advanced to third on a passed ball. Following a strikeout and bunt popout, Peek popped a bunt in the air that soared over the third baseman's head while Thompson raced home for the winning run.

Peek went two-for-four with a single and double, while Thompson went two-for-four with two sinlges and a stolen base. Stanek finished two-for-three with a pair of singles and an RBI. Tillman was one-for-four with a double and RBI. Mars Hill smacked 11 hits but stranded 11 runners on base.

Broughman earned her first collegiate win as she allowed one run on two hits with two walks and four strikeouts in two innings. Hussey allowed an unearned run on four hits with a walk and a strikeout in six innings. Tysinger was charged with the loss as she surrendered an unearned run on four hits with two walks and eight strikeouts in five innings of relief.

Mars Hill hits the road on Wednesday, traveling to Brevard for a 2 p.m. doubleheader.