Mars Hill splits with No. 18 Lincoln Memorial
The Mars Hill softball team (21-12, 5-5 SAC) split with No. 18 Lincoln Memorial (28-8, 6-4 SAC) on the road in South Atlantic Conference play. The Lions took game one by a score of 8-4, but fell 7-5 in game two.
HARROGATE, Tenn. - The Mars Hill softball team (21-12, 5-5 SAC) split with No. 18 Lincoln Memorial (28-8, 6-4 SAC) on the road in South Atlantic Conference play. The Lions took game one by a score of 8-4, but fell 7-5 in game two.
GAME ONE: MHU 8, LMU 4
Mars Hill struck early and often, scoring all eight runs in four innings. Casey Stanek opened the scoring with a RBI single to right center, plating Christiana Marasa. Following a bases loaded walk to Krista Romine that saw Stanek score, Ashley Evans sacrifice fly to left field plated Jordan Harris to cap off a three-run first inning.
Stanek drove in her second run of the game in the second with a sharply hit ball up the middle that allowed Taylor Nilsson to score from second. In the top of the third, Nilsson drove in Romine with a single to left. She later scored off of a Marasa single to center field.
In the bottom of the frame, the Railsplitters cut the deficit to four. McKenzie Henry broke the shutout bid with a single through the left side that saw Savannah Daniel cross home. Emma Webb's RBI groundout scored Ty-Kella Goins for Lincoln Memorial's second run.
Evans reestablished the Lions' six-run lead with a bases loaded, two-run single up the middle. Harris and Ragan Broome scored.
The Railsplitters' tacked on two runs in the top of the seventh, but Stanek was able to hold on for her 13th win on the season in her 12th complete game of the season.
Evans led all players with three RBI while Harris led all players with three hits in the contest.
GAME TWO: LMU 7, MHU 5
The Lions' comeback bid in game two fell short as the Railsplitters hung on for the split.
Entering the sixth down by five runs, Mars Hill scored three to pull within two. Jennifer Poston's RBI single to right field began the run for the Lions as Krista Romine scored. Ashley Evans, on second bases, was brought home off of a Hannah Smith blast to right center field for the single. Christiana Marasa capped off the inning with a single through the left side that allowed Poston to score the Lions' fifth run.
With two outs and two runners on, Mars Hill had the opportunity to extend play, however, a pop up to first bases quelled the Lions' charge as the Railsplitters earned their 28th win of the season.
Lincoln Memorial scored four runs in the first off of two home runs. Ty-Kella Goins solo shot put the Railsplitters up 1-0. Emma Webb's three-run shot to right center field put Lincoln Memorial up 4-0 entering the second. In the third, with the bases loaded, Bella Buccellato was hit by a pitch, allowing McKenzie Henry to score.
Mars Hill cut into the lead in the top of the fifth. Maggie Langheim's RBI single up the middle plated Jennifer Poston for the Lions' first run of the game. On a fielder's choice, Marasa scored to cut the defict to three.
The Railsplitters' added two runs in the bottom of the stanza, highlighted by Kelsie Tuggle's RBI triple.
Webb led all players with three RBI while both Marasa and Cassidy Allen led all players with three hits apiece.
Faith Howe picked up the win, allowing five runs on 12 hits in five innings pitched. Justice Smith earned the save. Brittany Duncan was credited with the loss, allowing three runs on one hit in 0.2 innings pitched.
The Lions travel to Newberry on Saturday, April 6th. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m.
