Lions Drop A Pair to Erskine

DUE WEST, S.C. – The Mars Hill softball team came up on the losing end of a couple one-run games on Saturday, February 27 against Erskine College. The Flying Fleet were able to squeak by the Lions in eight innings in game one 4-3 before taking the nightcap 2-1. MHU drops to 4-7 on the season while EC improves to 8-6.

GAME ONE

The Lions struck for a run early in the first. After the first batter was retired, Patricia Thompson stroked a single to left center and advanced to second with a stolen base. Krista Romine drew a walk and Thompson was able to scoot down to third on a wild pitch. That setup Erin Vickery's RBI single to center field to give the Lions a quick 1-0 lead.

The next two and a half innings were uneventful and the Fleet plated their first run in the bottom of the fourth after a beautifully executed squeeze bunt.

However, Mars Hill would get that run back in the top of the fifth. Thompson was at it again as she led off the inning with a screaming double to right center. A walk and error loaded the bases with no outs, but Erskine was able to escape the jam only allowing one unearned run following a mishap from the second baseman.

Leading 2-1 heading to the bottom of the seventh all the Lions needed were three outs, but the Fleet had other plans, scoring the tying run on an unearned run of their own.

The game went to extras and the Lions scored once in the top of the inning but Erskine pushed across two in the bottom to take game one by a 4-3 final.

Thompson led the way at the plate in the first game, collecting two hits in four at-bats while Vickery and Kaleigh Jonas picked up an RBI each. Sydney Elkin was tagged with the loss, dropping her to 3-4 on the year after she pitched 1 1/3 innings, allowing two hits and two runs.

GAME TWO

The second game of the twin-billing started very quietly as neither team made any noise in the opening inning. However, Erskine would strike for a pair of runs in the bottom of the second after a single and a long ball.

The Lions were able to muster hits across the board but were unable to put anything together, stranding runners on the bases until the seventh inning. Still trailing 2-0, the Lions began the last inning with back-to-back singles by Romine and Vickery. Two batters later, Ragan Broome singled up the middle to plate Romine, but the next batter grounded out and put an end to thoughts of a comeback.

Romine and Taylor Lail posted a pair of hits each in the second game of the double-dip and Broome collected the lone RBI. Elkin was tagged with the hard loss although she only gave up two runs on five hits over six innings.

The Lions will return to the diamond tomorrow as they travel to Florence, S.C. to take on Francis Marion. First pitch is scheduled for 1:00 p.m.