GREENEVILLE, Tenn. --- The Mars Hill College softball team survived a pair of late rallies by Tusculum College en route to a doubleheader sweep in South Atlantic Conference play on Tuesday at Red Edmonds Field. Mars edged Tusculum 2-1 in game one before notching a 6-1 win in the nightcap.
Mars Hill (26-13, 9-7 SAC) out-hit the Pioneers (14-20, 5-9 SAC) by a 17-14 margin, including a 12-7 advantage in game two. Ashley Seawell paced the Lions with a 5-for-7 day, driving in three runs and launching a home run in game one. Natalie Haithcox and Anna James each tallied three hits as five players drove in at least one run for the Lions.
Tara West (13-6) made the start for Mars Hill in game one, allowing one run on seven hits and striking out three in seven innings of work. Tiffany Farthing (11-5) got the nod in the night cap, allowing one run on seven hits and striking out seven in a complete game effort.
Senior Racheal Wilburn led Tusculum with a 3-for-6 day to pace four Pioneers with a multi-hit afternoon. Phlyscia Powell, Shanda Kimbrough, and Ashley Bagley each tallied two hits as Wilburn and Kimbrough each drove in a run for the Pioneers.
Holli Cadenhead (6-9) stifled the Lion offense in game one, allowing one earned run while scattering five hits across seven innings of work. Erin Searcy (6-9) got the nod in game two, allowing five runs and striking out three in five and two-thirds innings of work. Ashley Wilson finished the night cap with a scoreless inning and one-third.
Game One: Mars Hill 2, Tusculum 1 (Box Score)
Mars Hill took advantage of a Tusculum error in the first, tallying the game's first run on an RBI single by Haithcox to take an early 1-0 lead. Tusculum evened the score at 1-1 in the bottom of the inning, responding with an RBI single by Wilburn.
Seawell provided the eventual deciding run in the third, launching a first-pitch solo home run to left center to give Mars Hill a 2-1 advantage. The Pioneers threatened with runners in scoring position in each of the final four innings before West shut the door on each rally attempt to preserve the one-run win.
Game Two: Mars Hill 6, Tusculum 1 (Box Score)
The Lions opened the scoring with three runs in the third, taking an early 3-0 lead on an RBI double by Seawell and run-scoring singles by James and Amanda McArthur. Mars Hill widened the margin with a run in the fifth, stretching the lead to 4-0 on an RBI single by James.
Mars Hill plated two more runs in the sixth to stretch the margin to 6-0 on a run-scoring fielder's choice by Rebekah Huff and Seawell's third RBI base knock of the afternoon. Tusculum started to rally in the bottom of the sixth, cutting the lead to 6-1 on an RBI single by Kimbrough. Farthing then retired the final four batters of the game to quell the rally and complete the doubleheader sweep.
Tusculum returns to the diamond on Wednesday when the Pioneers host Milligan College in a 5 p.m. doubleheader at Red Edmonds Field.
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