Lions Split With Newberry To Open Conference Play

MARS HILL, N.C. – The Mars Hill Lions softball team opened South Atlantic Conference play splitting a doubleheader with Newberry on Friday, March 18 at Ponder Field. The Lions were able to take game one by a score of 4-2 before dropping the nightcap 9-5. MHU is now 7-12 overall and 1-1 in the league while the Wolves are 20-8 and 1-1.

Erin Vickery led the Lions at the plate on the afternoon, combining to hit .500 (3-6) over the two games while adding a RBI. Taylor Lail and Ellen Tillman posted multi-hit games in the opening contest, both going 2-for-3 with a run knocked in of their own. Krista Romine had an excellent second game tallying two hits in three at-bats and driving in a pair of runs.

GAME ONE

The Lions were able to strike first in the opening matchup. After a quiet first inning for the Blue and Gold the bats came alive in the bottom of the second. With one out, Romine advanced to second on a wild pitch before coming home on a stinging double by Lail to left field. Following an out Tillman posted a double of her own to score Lail and give the Lions a 2-0 lead early.

Mars Hill added single runs in the third and fourth innings to boost its lead to 4-0. Newberry tried to make things interesting late with a run in the sixth and one in the seventh, but Sydney Elkin slammed the door and helped MHU collect the 4-2 win.

Shelby Culler improved to 3-1 on the season, pitching six innings of five hit ball, allowing only one run and striking out a season-high six batters.

GAME TWO

Newberry was the aggressor in the second game, plating two runs in the top of the first off of a double to left center. The Wolves made it 3-0 in the third when Natalie Willis scored on a passed ball to the backstop.

Showing resiliency, the Lions broke out in the home-half of the fourth inning, scoring four runs on four hits and one Wolves' defensive miscue. Vickery started the inning with a single to left center before advancing to second following a free pass issued to Tillman. Ragan Broome executed a beautiful sacrifice bunt to put two runners in scoring position.

Jamie Booze delivered with a RBI single to left field. With two outs Romine laced a ball to the outfield that was mishandled by the left fielder, allowing two more runs to cross the plate for the Lions. Madelyn Furr added a base hit to drive home the fourth and final run of the inning, putting Mars Hill ahead 4-3.

Newberry fought its way back and pushed two across in the top of the sixth to retake the lead 5-4. The Lions came right back in a got the run back after a double to left center by Romine. The game headed to the seventh knotted at 5-all.

Following two quick outs to start the inning, the Wolves strung together four consecutive baserunners, including a two-run bomb by Maude McCourry to cap off a four run inning and ultimately seal the game for Newberry.

Casey Stanek dropped to 0-2 as she was tagged with the loss, pitching 1 2/3 innings and allowing four runs on five hits.

The Lions will return to action on Monday, March 21 as they travel to take on Carson-Newman. Game one is set to begin at 2:00 p.m.