Softball Concludes Florida Tech/Marriott Classic

MELBOURNE, FLA. – The Mars Hill softball team concluded the Florida Tech/Marriott Classic with a split in a pair of games on Sunday, January 31. The Lions are now 2-2 on the young season as they fell to Flagler in game one 4-2 before winning the nightcap, 5-4, over Palm Beach Atlantic.

GAME ONE

The Lions put pressure on the Saints defense early as the first two batters reached on an error. After a popup to short, both runners stole bases, placing two runners in scoring position with one out. Unfortunately, the half inning ended shortly after that with no runs crossing the plate.

Flagler dodged a bullet in the top of the first and capitalized on that in its half of the initial frame, scoring four runs on four hits to take a 4-0 lead after one.

The bats became silent on both sides through the fourth inning of play as each team could only muster a single hit over that span. Mars Hill was finally able to break through in the top of the fifth.Kayleigh Jonas came to the plate as a pinch-hitter for the Lions and blasted a solo homerun to straight away center. Following two groundouts Ragan Broome stepped to the plate and decided she would play long ball as well, taking a breaking ball and ripping it over the left-center field wall.

However, that would all the scoring done in the game as each team placed a goose egg on the board the rest of the way and the Lions fell by a score of 4-2.

Krista Romine collected two hits in three at-bats for the Blue and Gold, while Furr and Broome added one RBI apiece. Lacee Hunsucker dropped to 0-1 on the season as she was tagged with the loss, going 1/3 of an inning and giving up four runs on three hits.

GAME TWO

After two quick outs in the home-half of the first Krista Romine laced a ball into right center to start a two-out rally. Erin Vickery doubled down the leftfield line and moved Romine into third before Ellen Tillman collected the third consecutive hit for the Lions and giving them a 1-0 lead.

The Sailfish were able to push across three runs in the top of the third with three hits, including a hit-by-pitch that brought across the final run of the inning.

MHU was able to get one of those runs back in the bottom of the fourth, capitalizing on an error by the PBA defense. With one out Tillman reached on the botched ball and pinch runner Ally Sherman eventually came around to score on a sharp single by Casey Stanek with two outs.

The score remained 3-2 in favor of Palm Beach Atlantic heading into the bottom of the sixth inning. With one out Ellen Tillman stepped to the plate and smashed a homerun to right field to tie the game at 3-all. Both teams had a chance to score in the seventh, but neither could do so, sending the contest into extras.

The international tie-break rule was in effect so the last batted out started the inning on second base. PBA scored in the top of the eighth on a wild pitch and put the pressure on the Lions in the bottom of the inning. Another mishap from the Sailfish defense allowed Mars Hill to tie the game once again.

This time Palm Beach Atlantic would fail with its opportunity to score the placed runner on second base. After a sacrifice bunt Sydney Elkin forced to harmless ground balls that got the Lions out of the inning. The game was MHU's for the taking at this point.

Following a perfectly executed sacrifice bunt from Jamie Booze, Kaleigh Jonas scored on a wild pitch to the next batter and the Lions took the game 5-4.

Tillman led the charge offensively for the Lions, collecting two hits and two RBIs during the game. Stanek and Erin Vickery tallied one run batted in apiece. Elkin picked up the win, throwing 1 and 2/3 innings of perfect softball. Nikki Brinegar was tagged with the loss, giving up two runs in two innings pitched.

The Lions will return to action as they open the home portion of their schedule with a twin billing against Milligan on Saturday, February 6. Game times are set for 1 and 3.