Mars Hill splits with Tusculum
The Mars Hill softball team (11-14, 2-9 SAC) split with Tusculum (10-10, 4-4 SAC) Sunday afternoon, taking game one 5-4, but falling in game two, 4-3.
MARS HILL, N.C. - The Mars Hill softball team (11-14, 2-9 SAC) split with Tusculum (10-10, 4-4 SAC) Sunday afternoon, taking game one 5-4, but falling in game two, 4-3.
GAME ONE: MHU 5, TU 4 (8 Innings)
The Lions opened the scoring in the bottom of the third as Ashley Evans singled to right center, plating Micki Maxson. In the bottom of the sixth, solo home runs from Brookelynn Nanney and Maggie Langheim boosted the Lions' lead to three.
Tusculum rallied in the top of the seventh to tie the game at three, highlighted by Chloe Freischmidt's two-run home run to tie the game.
In the top of the eighth, Madison Michael singled to right field, plating Kristen Gass to take their first lead of the day. Mars Hill clinched game one with RBI singles from Evans and Ashley Hamlin. Paige Jeffries scored the game-winning run.
Marissa Adame allowed three earned runs on six hits in the complete game victory. She struck out eight in the process. Emily Sappington struck out seven, allowing four earned runs on 10 hits in the loss.
GAME TWO: TU 4, MHU 3 (11 Innings)
Ashley Evans drove in all three runs for the Lions' in their finale versus Tusculum.
Evans hit her first home run of the game in the bottom of the first inning. In the third, she hit her second, a deep drive over the right center field fence.
In the top of the sixth, the Pioneers tied the game at two as Chloe Freischmidt doubled down the left field line to plate Alexis Grampp. Grampp plated the first run of the inning with a RBI single that saw Anna Alloway cross home.
The team's traded runs in the 10th with Evans' sacrifice fly giving her three RBI in the contest. Emily Sappington, in the top of the 11th, singled to right center, plating Freischmidt for the game-winning run.
Maggine Langheim led the Lions with three hits in the game while Evans went 2-for-4 with three RBI. Alloway paced the Pioneers' offense with three hits.
Kaitlyn Pickens picked up the win, throwing 10.1 innings, allowing two earned runs on five hits. Sappington earned the save. Marissa Adame suffered the loss, allowing two runs on four hits in 5.1 innings pitched, striking out four. Emily Van Horn started game two for the Lions and threw 5.2 innings, allowing two runs on five hits while striking out four.
The Lions return to action on Wednesday, March 24 when they face Newberry on the road. First pitch is set for 3 p.m.