Mars Hill University swept a South Atlantic Conference softball
doubleheader from Tusculum College on Tuesday, winning by scores of
5-1 and 11-7 at Red Edmonds Field. The Lions (11-18, 5-7 SAC) used
a 19-hit attack to capture the nightcap after strong pitching
carried Mars Hill to the victory in the opener.
The Pioneers (17-23, 3-9 SAC) are at Wingate for a SAC twinbill on
Saturday at 1 p.m.
Game 1: Mars Hill 5, Tusculum 1 - box score
The Lions scored two runs in the first and fourth innings to take a
4-0 lead, while Shelby Culler and Sydney Elkin combined on a
four-hitter to help Mars Hill to a win in the opener.
Ally Sherman finished 3-for-3 with three stolen bases, an RBI and a
run scored out of the ninth spot in the lineup for the Lions, who
had 10 hits as a team in the game.
Carolyn Williamson went 2-for-3 with a triple for the Pioneers, who
scored their only run in the fifth inning on a sacrifice bunt off
the bat of Robin Stoner.
The Lions took a 2-0 lead in the top of the first off Tusculum
starter Eliza Davis on an RBI double by Taylor Lail and an RBI
single by Jamie Booze. The Pioneers put runners at first and second
with one out in the first, and first and third with one out in the
second, but were unable to score against Culler.
Mars Hill extended its lead to 4-0 in the fourth on an RBI single
by Sherman and an RBI groundout by Krista Romine. The Pioneers got
on the board in the bottom of the fifth as Taylor Battle led off
with a single and took second on an error. After a sacrifice moved
Battle to third, Stoner brought home Battle with another sacrifice
to cut the margin to 4-1.
Tusculum put a runner at second base in the sixth and a runner at
third in the seventh against Elkin, but the Lion righthander
retired the side both innings to finish off her second save of the
season.
Culler (6-3) gave up an unearned run on three hits in five innings
of work for the Lions, with three strikeouts and four walks. Davis
(8-12) allowed five earned runs on 10 hits with two strikeouts and
no walks.
Game 2: Mars Hill 11, Tusculum 7 - box score
The Lions scored in each of the first six innings and tallied 19
hits in the game, including three apiece from Romine, Kayleigh
Jonas, Booze and Ellen Tillman. Romine and Jonas each scored three
runs, while Ragan Broome had four runs batted in for Mars Hill in
the victory.
Stoner finished 2-for-4 with two runs batted in and two runs scored
for the Pioneers, while Jordan Keene finished 2-for-4 with two
triples, an RBI and a run. Morgan Ward added two hits in three
at-bats and drove in a run for the Pioneers, who had nine hits as a
team. Pioneer outfielder Miranda Beeler reached the 100-hit mark
for her career with a leadoff bunt single in the first inning.
Tusculum tied a school record in the game with four triples,
equaling the mark that was set against King on April 26, 1996.
Keene became the 11th player in program history, and first since
Williamson in 2014 against Virginia-Wise, to have two triples in a
game.
Mars Hill jumped to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning
against Tusculum starter Cayla Cecil, courtesy of an RBI single by
Booze and a sacrifice fly by Broome. The Pioneers came back with
two runs in their half of the first as Beeler singled and
Williamson drew a walk. Stoner then delivered an RBI single up the
middle to bring home Beeler and cut the deficit to 2-1. With two
outs, Ward walked with the bases loaded against Booze to force in
Stoner with the tying run.
The Lions came back with a run in the second on an RBI single by
Jonas, but the Pioneers took the lead with three runs in their half
of the frame. Battle was hit by a pitch, took second on a sacrifice
and scored on a triple to center field by Stoner. Emily Hester then
reached on an error to bring home Stoner with the go-ahead run,
followed by a triple by Keene that plated pinch-runner Harper Ford
and gave Tusculum a 5-3 lead.
Mars Hill tied the game in the top of the third on a sacrifice fly
by Emily Crouse and an RBI single by Romine, then took a 7-5 lead
in the fourth on an RBI single by Lail and another sacrifice fly
from Broome. An RBI double by Jonas and a two-run double by Broome
in the fifth off Pioneer reliever Taylor Plemons extended the
Lions' lead to 10-5.
Tusculum came back with two runs in the bottom of the fifth. Keene
led off with her second triple of the game, and scored on a wild
pitch with one out. Ward doubled, took third on a pinch-single by
Jenna Restivo and scored on a passed ball to cut the Mars Hill
advantage to 10-7. However, Tillman led off the top of the sixth
with a solo home run, and Elkin retired the final six batters she
faced to close out the victory.
Elkin (5-8) worked 5 1/3 innings of relief for the Lions, allowing
two runs (one earned) on five hits while striking out four. Cecil
(7-6) gave up 12 hits and seven earned runs in four innings for the
Pioneers, with one strikeout and three walks. Plemons worked the
final 2 2/3 innings for Tusculum and allowed one run on four hits
while fanning four.