Newberry Sweeps Softball
Lions fall 8-5 and 2-0
NEWBERRY, S.C.- The Mars Hill softball team was swept by Newberry on Saturday at the Smith Road Complex, falling 8-5 in the opener and 2-0 in the second game. Mars Hill concludes the 2015 season 12-23 overall and 8-14 in the South Atlantic Conference.
Game 1: Newberry 8, Mars Hill 5
Newberry scored seven runs in the middle innings to claim the opening game of the doubleheader.
Mars Hill got on the board in the first inning as Aleshia Peek led off with a single, advanced to second on a wild pitch and third on a passed ball before scoring on a groundout. Newberry tied the contest in the bottom of the inning as Gabby Bedard reached on a one out single and would score on a Lion error.
Ellen Tillman reached on a one out double, advanced to third on an Erin Vickery single and scored on a Newberry error to give the Lions a 2-1 lead. Newberry responded with four runs in the home half of the frame on a Hailey Drawe two-run single and a Maude McCourry two-run double.
In the Wolves fourth, Ashlen Ayers led off with a walk and scored on a Bedard triple. Bedard would score on a fielder's choice.
Taylor Caviness singled to score Emily Crouse in the fifth to bring the Lions within four, 7-3. Newberry would answer as the Wolves took advantage of a Lion error.
In the sixth inning, Tillman brought the Lions to within three, 8-5, with a two-run home run that plated Melissa Garcia. Mars Hill loaded the bases with three straight singles before a strikeout and groundout ended the threat. Mars Hill went down in order in the seventh.
Vickery went three-for-four with three singles while Tillman went two-for-four with a double, home run and three RBI. Robyn Stanek went two-for-three with two singles and an RBI. Mars Hill had 13 hits but left 12 runners on base.
McCourry earned the win as she allowed five runs, three earned, on 13 hits with three walks and four strikeouts in six innings. Shelby Culler took the loss, allowing eight runs, five earned, on eight hits with three walks and three strikeouts in six innings.
Game 2: Newberry 2, Mars Hill 0
The Wolves scored the game's lone runs in the fifth inning while holding Mars Hill to two hits.
After the teams combined for four hits in the game's first four innings, Ashlen Ayers singled with two outs and scored on a Gabby Bedard double. Bedard advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored on a Mallory Gerndt single.
The Lions didn't have a baserunner until Aleshia Peek singled to lead off the seventh inning. After a fielder's choice retired Peek, Ellen Tillman singled up the middle to put runners on first and second. A groundout advanced the runners up a base before a flyout ended the game.
Peek and Tillman each went one-for-three with a single. Ayers went two-for-two with two singles to lead Newberry.
Brittany Middleton earned the win, allowing two hits without a walk or strikeout in seven shutout innings. Taylor Hussey is charged with the loss, allowing two runs on five hits with a walk and two strikeouts in seven innings.
