Lions Blast Seven Homeruns In Epic Comeback Against Carson-Newman

JEFFERSON CITY, TENN. – The Mars Hill baseball team used the long ball to claim a wild 15-12 victory over the Carson-Newman Eagles on Friday, March 11. Down 9-1 going to the top of the seventh, the Lions offense woke up, posting 14 runs over the next four innings to snap the Eagles 11-game winning streak. Mars Hill improves to 16-8 overall and 4-3 within the SAC while C-N drops to 14-6, 3-1.

The Lions looked to be all-but-out of the contest coming to the top half of the seventh, trailing by eight runs (9-1), but an error on the Eagles' first baseman to the leadoff batter put a quarter in the merry-go-round and Mars Hill started to chip away at the large deficit.

Following the error, a walk and single in consecutive at-bats loaded the bases for the Blue and Gold. Right fielder Phillip Carroll smoked a double down the left field line to pick up two RBIs and the cutting the margin to 9-3. A RBI knock for Christian Stampler followed by a sacrifice fly from Ray Carolina plated one more run for the Lions. Dalton Eisenbath singled through the left side to put runners on first and second for Evan Rogers. Rogers took a 1-1 pitch and blasted a three run shot to get the Lions right back in the game at 9-8.

The inning continued to get better for Mars Hill as Dylan Powers collected a hit up the middle and Brett Brubaker laced a ball over the wall in right center to give Mars Hill its first lead of the game at 10-9. The Lions carried that lead into the ninth inning. Back-to-back jacks from Rogers and Powers added some insurance runs for the Blue and Gold. However, that lead was not safe as the Eagles blasted a three-run shot of their own in the bottom of the ninth to knot the game at 12-all.

The tenth inning was quiet for Mars Hill and Carson-Newman squandered a chance for the win in the bottom of the tenth.

The Lions took advantage of the missed opportunity by the Eagles, adding three runs in the 11^th to take a 15-12 lead. Rogers led off the inning with a single and Powers ripped his second four-bagger of the game. Brubaker wanted to get in on the two homerun action and followed Powers with a solo shot to put the Lions ahead for good. The Eagles collected a base hit in the 11^th but it was not enough as the Lions hung on for the big conference road win.

Drayden Williams improved to 5-0 on the season as he pitched five innings, scattering six hits and giving up three earned runs.

Rogers, Powers, and Brubaker all went deep twice in the game and Carroll added the season-high seventh homerun for the Lions. Rogers also collected four RBIs while Powers, Brubaker, and Carroll knocked in three each. Logan Conley went 3-for-5 on the day and Stampler had a perfect day at the plate, going 3-for-3.

The Lions will wrap-up the series with Carson-Newman tomorrow as the two teams get together for a double-dip. The first game is scheduled for 12:00 p.m.