Lions sweep Rams, win fourth straight
The Mars Hill softball team (8-8) swept Winston-Salem State (1-10) by scores of 8-0 and 15-1, both ending in five innings Saturday afternoon at Ponder Field.
MARS HILL, N.C. - The Mars Hill softball team (8-8) swept Winston-Salem State (1-10) by scores of 8-0 and 15-1, both ending in five innings Saturday afternoon at Ponder Field.
GAME ONE: MHU 8, WSSU 0 - 5 Innings
The Lions used a six-run fourth inning to shorten game one to just five innings, run ruling the Rams.
Opening the scoring in the first with a RBI double, Farley Park collected her fifth RBI of the game in the fourth stanza, blasting a grand slam. Earlier in the inning, a RBI groundout from Zoie Pistel put the Lions up 3-0 and was followed up by a Katie Todd RBI single that plated Abby King, giving Mars Hill the four-run advantage.
In the bottom of the third, up 1-0, Leah Grimes singled to score Todd to make the score 2-0 after two.
Park and Todd led the team with two hits apiece while Park led all players with five RBI.
Kayla Gallagher earned her third win of the season, striking out five and allowing just three hits in the 5.0 innings pitched.
GAME TWO: MHU 15, WSSU 1 - 5 Innings
Mars Hill's 11-run third inning secured their Saturday sweep of Winston-Salem State.
Tied at one entering the bottom of the third, the Mars Hill bats came to life as both Payton Little and Jessica Senn hit three-run homers while Payton Little hit the second Mars Hill grand slam of the day.
Katie Todd's sacrifice fly in the bottom of the second opened the scoring, plating Senn. A solo home run from Aniyah Jackson tied the contest in the top of the third.
Following the offensive explosion in the third, Mars Hill tacked on three more runs in the bottom of the fourth. Zoie Pistel hit a solo home run over the left center fence while later in the stanza, Grimes collected her fifth and sixth RBI of the contest with a two-run single up the middle.
Grimes went 3-for-3 with a game-high six RBI. Little and Pistel added two hits apiece while Little and Senn ended the game with three RBI apiece.
Blyth Freeman earned the win, striking out five and allowing one run on three hits in 3.0 innings. Caitlyn Bauer threw a scoreless 2.0 innings, striking out three.
Mars Hill takes to the road on Tuesday, March 5 when they face Belmont Abbey. First pitch is set for 12 p.m.