Mars Hill splits extra innings thrillers with Carson-Newman
The Mars Hill baseball team (4-15, 2-3 SAC) split their Saturday series with Carson-Newman (7-11, 1-1 SAC), taking game one by a score of 7-5, but dropping game two by a score of 4-3.
JEFFERSON CITY, Tenn. - The Mars Hill baseball team (4-15, 2-3 SAC) split their Saturday series with Carson-Newman (7-11, 1-1 SAC), taking game one by a score of 7-5, but dropping game two by a score of 4-3.
GAME ONE: MHU 7, C-N 5 (15 Innings)
The Lions scored two runs late, taking a marathon game one by a score of 7-5 in 15 innings.
Tied at four at the end of five innings, the teams went scoreless for the next four innings of play. Mars Hill, in the top of the 10th, capitalized on an Eagles' error. Chapel Matson scored the go-ahead run.
The Eagles responded in the bottom of the frame. With two outs and a runner on first, Nelson Smith tripled to right field, scoring Aiden Gibson to tie the game at five.
After another scoreless four innings, Mars Hill plated two runs in the top of the 15th. With the bases loaded, a passed ball allowed Chad Sikes to score the eventual game-winning run. A single later in the frame from Matson scored Jordan Lathe to give the Lions a two-run cushion heading into the bottom half of the inning.
Colin McCaw recorded a 1-2-3 inning to secure the series opening win.
Mars Hill opened the scoring in the third, highlighted by a Zach Weaver two-run home run. Luke Hayes reached on an error later in the inning, allowing Alex Naran to score and put the Lions up 3-0. Carson-Newman responded in the bottom half of the inning. A pair of RBI singles cut the lead to one before a RBI groundout tied the contest at three.
Weaver recorded his second home run of the game, a solo shot, in the top of the fifth to retake the lead. Once again, the Eagles responded with a RBI groundout to tie the game at four.
Four Lions recorded two hits in the contest while Weaver led all players with three RBI and four walks. Five Eagles posted two hits in the game with Smith leading the team with two RBI.
In relief, Jake Wagoner threw seven innings, striking out a game-high nine batters. McCaw earned his first win of the season.
GAME TWO: C-N 4, MHU 3 (8 Innings)
A late Carson-Newman rally completed their come-from-behind win to split the Saturday doubleheader.
Trailing 3-2 entering the bottom of the seventh, Nelson Smith's RBI single to left center plated the tying run to force extra innings. In the bottom of the eighth, James Denten collected his third RBI of the game with a single to left, scoring William Gibbs for the game-winning run.
Denten opened the scoring in the bottom of the first with a two-run home run. After three scoreless innings between the teams, the Lions cut the lead in half with a Chapel Matson solo home run.
In the top of the seventh, Trevor Bailey's two-run single plated Matson and Alex Naran to give the Lions their only lead of the game.
Denten led all players with two hits and three RBI while Matson and Luke Hayes led the Lions with two hits apiece.
Hunter Harritan was credited with the win, surrendering one hit in two innings while striking out three. Luke Kimrey was credited with the loss. Dustin Revis struck out 10 in seven innings in the start.
The teams will conclude their series on Sunday, March 5 when they return to the diamond at 1 p.m.
