Adame sets school record in Lions SAC opener versus C-N

JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. - The Mars Hill softball team (3-4, 1-1 SAC) split their South Atlantic Conference opener versus Carson-Newman (6-2, 1-1 SAC).  Mars Hill took the first game, 6-5, but fell in game two, 14-6.

GAME ONE: MHU 6, C-N 5

Marissa Adame struck out 15 in the Lions' 6-5 win over Carson-Newman Wednesday afternoon, establishing a new school record.

Adame picked up all three outs in the first, third, and fifth innings by strikeout.  She struck out two batters apiece in the fourth and seventh frames.

The Lions entered the top of the third down 1-0, but a double steal by the Lions saw Brookelynn Nanney advance to second while Ashley Hamlin stole home.  Nanney later scored off of an Ashley Evans RBI double down the left field line.

A single from Katie Eakes in the bottom of the third tied the game for the Eagles, but in the top of the fifth, a three-run home run from Evans put the Lions up 5-2 entering the bottom of the frame.

KaraLynne Levi cut the deficit to two in the bottom of the fifth.  Nanney reestablished the three-run lead with a solo home run in the top of the seventh.

With one out and a runner on first, Eakes blasted a two-run home run to pull within one.  A lineout from Shannon Smith sent Lacie Rinus to the plate.  Adame struck her out looking for her 15th of the day and to secure the win.

Evans was a triple shy of the cycle, picking up four RBI.  Nanney went 2-for-3 while Hamlin scored two runs.

GAME TWO: C-N 14, MHU 6

The Eagles used a seven-run second inning to help earn the split in game two. 

The Lions took an early 2-0 lead after Ashley Evans' two-run home run, plating Brookelynn Nanney.  The Eagles responded in the bottom half of the inning with a KaraLynne Levi RBI single followed later in the inning by a Katie Eakes two-run single to right field.

Carson-Newman expanded their lead to 10-2 after the second, highlighted by Lacie Rinus' two-run singles.  

Trailing 12-2 entering the fifth inning, Evans hit her second home run of the game, a three-run shot to center field that scored Nanney and Alexis McCrary.  Peyton Duba's RBI single to left center plated Sydney Craig to cut the deficit to six.

Haley Schultz tripled to left center to score Carmen Holt in the bottom of the sixth.  Rachel Kay's RBI single saw Schultz cross home to end the contest in six innings.

Evans led all players with five RBI and two home runs.  Nanney and Maggie Langheim each added two hits.  Eakes led the Eagles with three RBI on one hit.  Lacie Rinus and Leah Sohm each had two hits for C-N.

NicKolette Ferguson picked up her fourth win of the season, striking out four while allowing six runs on nine hits.

Mars Hill returns to the field on Saturday, February 27 when they face Belmont Abbey.  First pitch is scheduled for 12 p.m.