Resilient, record-breaking Lions sweep LMU

MARS HILL, N.C. – The Mars Hill softball team (11-15, 2-6 SAC) swept Lincoln Memorial (17-15, 4-4 SAC) for their first South Atlantic Conference wins of the season by scores of 11-3 and a record-breaking 23-22 Wednesday afternoon at Ponder Field.

GAME ONE: MHU 11, LMU 3 – 5 Innings

The Lions hit five home runs en route to run ruling Lincoln Memorial in game one, 11-3.

In the bottom of the first, Leah Grimes opened the scoring with a two-run home run. Later in the frame, Micki Maxson blasted a three-run home run to put the Lions up by five.

Maia Sholter, in the bottom of the third, hit a two-run home run. It was her first of the contest. In the bottom of the fourth, Miranda Marks also hit a two-run home run, putting the Lions up by nine.

Lincoln Memorial plated three in the top of the fifth to cut the Lions' lead down to six. In the bottom of the fifth, Sholter smacked her second home run of the day, a solo shot over the left field fence.

To win the game, Katie Todd blooped a single into left field, plating Jessica Senn for the 11^th Mars Hill run of the game.

Sholter went a perfect 3-for-3 from the plate with two home runs and three RBI. Maxson added two hits and three RBI. Marks and Grimes each recorded two RBIs.

Kayla Gallagher picked up her fourth win of season, allowing three runs on five hits while striking out four.

GAME TWO: MHU 23, LMU 22

In a resilient battle, the Lions rallied to score eight unanswered runs, including four in the bottom of the seventh, to complete the historic sweep.

The Lions trailed 22-15 entering the bottom of the sixth. Jessica Senn's solo home run, her second of the contest, was the catalyst for the late comeback. Later in the frame, with two on, Miranda Marks sent the ball over the center field fence to cut the deficit to three.

Maia Sholter, in the bottom of the seventh, hit her third home run on the day to put the Lions down by two. Tying the contest was a two-run blast from Micki Maxson. To complete the comeback, with the bases loaded, an errant Railsplitters' pitch hit Leah Grimes, allowing Meghan Murphy to score the game-winning run.

Mars Hill opened the scoring in the first, plating four runs. A pair of RBI singles from Sholter and Maxson was followed up by a two-run single by Murphy.

Despite the Railsplitters coming back in the top of the second, scoring four of the their own, the Lions' Farley Park responded with a three-run home run in the bottom of the frame to give the Lions a 7-4 lead.

Lincoln Memorial, in the third, scored nine runs to go up 13-7. The scoring streak was highlighted by Katy Pozzuto's two-run home run. The Railsplitters added three more runs in the fourth.

Trailing by nine, 16-7, Mars Hill once again battled back, scoring three in the fourth and another five in the fifth. In the fourth, Payton Little and Senn each hit solo home runs while Murphy collected her third RBI with a single.

In the fifth, both Murphy and Marks recorded RBI singles while Grimes drew a bases loaded walk to bring Mars Hill within one.

Lincoln Memorial responded in the top of the sixth, scoring six as Sterre den Duijn led the offensive burst with a grand slam.

Both Marks and Maxson recorded a team-high four hits with Maxson going perfect from the plate. Those two, along with Murphy, led Mars Hill with four RBI apiece. Eight of the nine Lions recorded two or more hits in the contest.

Blyth Freeman threw 4.0 innings, earning her sixth win of the season.

A plethora of Mars Hill softball records were broken in the win.

Individual records included the following:

• Most Runs Scored – Micki Maxson (4-tied)
• Most Home Runs – Jessica Senn (2-tied)

The Lions broke the following team records in the victory:

• Most At Bats (43-tied)
• Most Runs Scored (23)
• Most Hits (24)
• Most RBI (22)
• Most Home Runs (7)
• Most Total Bases (47)

Mars Hill returns to action on Saturday, March 23 when they face Lenoir-Rhyne on the road. First pitch is set for 2 p.m.