Softball Drops A Pair At USC Aiken

AIKEN, S.C. – The Mars Hill softball team dropped two games against USC Aiken on Sunday, February 07. The Pacers were able to take game one by a score of 4-3 before rallying in the nightcap to complete the sweep with a 7-6 win in 8 innings.

GAME ONE

After a quick 1-2-3 top half for the Lions, USCA rallied in the home portion to push across two runs behind four hits and an error to give the Pacers a 2-0 advantage after one. Aiken was able to extend its lead to 4-0 with single runs in the second and fourth while the Lions could not get the bats going through the fourth frame.

The Blue and Gold were finally able to scratch the scoreboard in the fifth. With one out, Ragan Broome singled to right center. A beautifully executed sacrifice bunt from Emily Crouse moved Broome to second base before Kayleigh Jonas brought her home with a double to left center making the score 4-1.

A quiet sixth for both teams set up drama in the seventh and final inning. Jamie Booze led off with a base knock to center field. Ally Sherman came in the game to pinch run for Booze and stole second following a strikeout. Broome collected another single and both runners advanced after a wild pitch by the Pacers.

Casey Stanek then lined a single to right center that plated Broome and Sherman. Stanek moved to second base after a groundout, but she would be stranded as the next batter grounded out to shortstop to end game one with the Pacers prevailing, 4-4.

Sydney Elkin took the loss as she went six complete innings while allowing four runs on 11 hits and striking out one. She falls to 2-3 on the season.

GAME TWO

The second game of the afternoon had a different feel as the Lions came out the aggressor, plating two runs in the top of the first inning. Following an out Jonas singled to right center and Krista Romine reached first on a fielder's choice. Erin Vickery hit a shot up the middle for a base hit and loaded the bases with one out.

Taylor Lail and Ellen Tillman followed with back-to-back RBI hits that gave Mars Hill the 2-0 lead after one-half inning of play.

That lead grew to 3-0 when Patricia Thompson led off the second with a solo shot to left field. USC Aiken was able to get one run back in its half of the second to narrow the gap to 3-1.

MHU padded its lead with a two-run fourth. The first two batters of the inning were retired and Jonas earned a free pass with two outs. Romine then hit a frozen rope to right center that plated Jonas and Vickery followed that up with a hot shot to left to score Romine from second base giving the Lions a 5-1 lead. The Pacers strung together three hits that turned into two runs in their half of the fourth to once again make it a two-run ballgame at 5-3.

The next couple innings were quiet for both teams and the Lions went three-up, three-down in the seventh. USCA was down to its final at-bat and was able to push across two runs to knot the contest at 5-5 with three hits and a miscue from the Lion defense, which sent the game into extra innings.

Mars Hill was able to scratch across a run in the top of the eighth, but the Pacers had the hammer and it paid off as they were able to secure the win in walk-off win in the bottom of the frame.

Sydney Elkin was tagged with the loss, going a third of an inning and giving up a hit and two unearned runs. She falls to 2-4 on the year.

The Lions will return to action on Saturday, February 13 as they travel to Francis Marion University for a two-game tilt. First pitch for game one is scheduled for 12:00 p.m.