Evans homers twice versus L-R

MARS HILL, N.C. - The Mars Hill softball team (10-13, 1-9 SAC) was swept Saturday afternoon at home versus Lenoir-Rhyne (12-6, 8-4 SAC) by scores of 10-2 and 5-4, respectively.

GAME ONE: L-R 10, MHU 2

The Bears jumped out to an early 4-0 advantage after one to lead them to the game one victory.  Kylee Leonhardt's double down the left field line opened the scoring, plating Savannah Moorefield.  After a sacrifice fly from Lauren Rakes up the Bears up two, RBI singles off the bats of Lora Beth Wood and Leanna Sherrill put Lenoir-Rhyne up by four.

Sherrill put the Bears up by five in the top of the third with a solo home run.  Ashley Evans plated the only two runs of the game for the Lions in the bottom of the frame with a two-run home run to left field, plating Danielle Harris.

The Bears scored their final five runs off of home runs; two-run shots from Talon LaClair and Leonhardt and a solo home run from Sherrill, her second of the game.

Leonhardt and Sherrill led all players with three hits and three RBI while LaClair added three hits and two RBI.  Evans led the Lions' offense with two hits and two RBI.

Rakes struck out 10 for the complete game win.  Marissa Adame allowed seven runs on 10 hits, striking out six, in the loss.

GAME TWO: L-R 5, MHU 4 (9 Innings)

Hannah Jennings' RBI single in the top of the ninth plated the game-winning run for the Bears, completing the sweep.

Trailing 3-2 in the top of hte seventh, Kylee Leonhardt's solo home run tied the game and forced extra innings.  

Scoreless after the eighth, Cherise Cowoski's RBI double put the Bears up by one in the top of the ninth.  The Lions cut the deficit to one off of Alicia Wittenhagen's bunt in the bottom of the frame, but were unable to complete the comeback bid.

Leonhardt opened the scoring in the top of the third with a RBI single to left field.  In the fourth, Lora Beth Wood homered to right field to double the advantage.

In the bottom of the sixth, Ashley Evans gave the Lions their first lead of the day with a three-run bomb to right field, plating Brookelynn Nanney and Danielle Harris.

Leonhardt led the Bears with two hits and two RBI while Kenley Powell led the Lions with two hits.  Evans led all players with three RBI.

Rakes picked up her second win of the day, striking out six in three innings off work.  Emily Van Horn suffered the loss, allowing three earned runs on eight hits in 8.1 innings pitched.  She struck out a career-high nine batters.

The Lions return to the field on Sunday, March 21 when they host Tusculum.  First pitch at Ponder Field is set for 1 p.m.