Lions swept by Lenoir-Rhyne

HICKORY, N.C. - The Mars Hill (12-14, 3-9 SAC) softball team was swept by South Atlantic Conference leading Lenoir-Rhyne (36-5, 13-1 SAC) Sunday afternoon by scores of 6-5 and 10-1, respectively.

GAME ONE: L-R 6, MHU 5

The Lions carried a 4-2 lead into the bottom of the fifth. The Bears cut into the lead with a RBI single from Madison Poe. With the bases loaded and two outs, Casey Stanek pitched her way out of the jam.

In the following inning, Lenoir-Rhyne retook the lead when Mackensi Swain hit a sacrifice fly to score Mackenzie Cates to tie the game at four. Later in the inning, Christina Walker launched a two-run homerun to right-center field to take a 6-4 lead into the final inning.

Ragan Broome's RBI double pulled the Lions within one, but the Bears were able to keep the Lions at bay and escape with the 6-5 win.

To open the game, Erin Boone's solo homerun gave the Bears the early 1-0 lead and in the bottom of the second, Talon LaClair put Lenoir-Rhyne up by two with a solo homerun of her own.

Ashley Evans cut into the lead in the top of the third with a solo homerun to left field.

In the top of the fifth with the bases loaded, Christiana Marasa hammered a double to center field, clearing the bases and giving Mars Hill their first lead of the contest.

Brandi Parks earned the complete game win, giving up five runs on six hits and striking out three. Stanek suffered the loss, allowing six runs on seven hits while also striking out three.

GAME TWO: L-R 10, MHU 1

The Bears jumped out to a 3-0 lead after the first inning and did not look back as they topped the Lions 10-1 in five innings.

Erin Boone opened the scoring with a two-run single to left-center field that plated Madison Poe and Savannah Moorefield. Talon LaClair added to the Bears' lead with a RBI double to left-center field that scored Boone.

Mars Hill's Emiley Burriss cut the deficit down to two with a solo homerun to right field in the top of the second, but the Bears answered back with five runs of their own in the bottom half of the frame.

Moorefield hit a two-run homerun right field and later in the inning, Mackenzie Cates doubled to right field to score Lenoir-Rhyne's third run of the inning. Two RBI singles from Madison Carter and LaClair put the Bears up 8-1 entering the third inning.

A RBI single from Boone in the bottom of the third and RBI single by Christina Walker in the bottom of the fourth gave Lenoir-Rhyne the nine run advantage heading into the fifth. A leadoff single from Kayleigh Jonas put a Mars Hill runner on the bases, but was unable to be brought home as the Bears sealed the victory with a popout to right field.

The Bears racked up 13 hits in game two, where Moorefield led with three hits. Boone had a team-high three RBIs.

Cristi Pressley, in 0.2 inning pitched, gave up three runs on four hits for the loss. Emily Kenley picked up her 18th win of the year, giving up three hits and one run in five innings.

Mars Hill returns to action with a doubleheader versus Lincoln Memorial on Tuesday, April 10. The action will take place at Enka High School, beginning at 2 p.m.