Lions win series over UVA Wise, split regular season finale
The Mars Hill baseball team (17-21, 12-18 SAC) closed out the regular season Sunday afternoon, splitting versus UVA Wise (5-28, 4-26 SAC). The Lions dropped game one, 3-2, but won game two, 13-9.
WISE, Va. - The Mars Hill baseball team (17-21, 12-18 SAC) closed out the regular season Sunday afternoon, splitting versus UVA Wise (5-28, 4-26 SAC). The Lions dropped game one, 3-2, but won game two, 13-9.
GAME ONE: WISE 3, MHU 2
Gabe Wurtz's three RBI day sank the Lions in game one.
Wurtz opened the scoring in the bottom of the first with a solo home run, his first on the day. In the bottom of the third, Wurtz blasted a two-run shot to center field, plating Tyler Blaum to put the Cavaliers up 3-0.
The Lions struck twice in the top of the sixth. Trevor Bailey's RBI single plated Zach Weaver to break the shutout bid. Later in the frame, Paul Martin drove in Austin Treadway with a single to left field.
Wurtz and Gavin Birkhimer led UVA Wise with two hits on the day while Weaver led the Lions with two hits. Hunter Tensen picked up the win, his second of the season, allowing two runs on seven hits in 6.1 innings pitched.
GAME TWO: MHU 13, WISE 9
Kyle Jenkins' seven RBI performance clinched the series win for the Lions in game two's 13-9 victory.
Mars Hill led 10-9 heading into the top of the eighth and with one swing of the bat, Jenkins added insurance runs with a three-run home run to left field to put the game out of reach.
The Lions scored four in the opening stanza, highlighted by Trevor Bailey's two-run single to left field that plated Jenkins and Zach Weaver. In the bottom of the first, Clay Taylor's solo shot cut the lead down to three.
Jenkins drove in his first two runs of the game in the top of the third off of a double to center that scored Weaver and Hunter Holland. Later in the inning, he scored off of a wild pitch to put Mars Hill up 7-1.
In the bottom of the third, two solo home runs off the bats of Gabe Wurtz and Tyler Campbell pulled the Cavaliers within three. In the fourth, following Taylor's RBI double, Tyler Blaum brought the Cavaliers within one with a two-run single to center.
The teams traded solo home runs in the fifth as Jenkins recorded his first of the day while Cole Harness answered in the bottom of the frame.
After the Lions tacked on two more runs in the sixth, Campbell's sacrifice fly closed the gap to two runs. Bret Roberts, in the bottom of the seventh, brought UVA Wise within one with a RBI single through the right side, plating Kyle Johnson.
Jenkins went 4-for-5 from the plate with two home runs, a double, and career-high seven RBI. Kameron Reynolds and Paul Martin each recorded two hits while Bailey drove in two.
Wurtz led the Cavaliers with three hits and drove in one. The trio of Taylor, Blaum, and Campbell each drove in two.
Spencer Nifong earned the win, allowing three runs on five hits in three innings pitched.
Mars Hill ended the regular season with a 17-21 overall record, 12-18 in the SAC, placing eighth in the conference.
