North Greenville Sweeps Softball
Mars Hill loses 2-1 in the opener and 5-4 in extra innings in the second game
TIGERVILLE, S.C.- The Mars Hill softball team lost a pair of one-run games to North Greenville on Thursday, dropping the opener 2-1 and the second game 5-4 in extra innings at Pepsi Softball Field. North Greenville improves to 10-6 while the Lions fall to 2-9.
Game 1: North Greenville 2, Mars Hill 1
Cassi Carpenter's solo home run in the sixth inning broke a 1-1 tie as the Crusaders held off a Mars Hill rally in the seventh.
The Lions threatened in the second inning with a two out rally that began when Hollie Norris was hit by a pitch. Norris advanced to second on a passed ball, with a Melissa Garcia single putting runners on the corners before a groundout ended the inning. Taylor Lail's solo home run with one out in the fourth inning gave Mars Hill a 1-0 lead. North Greenville tied the game in the home half of the inning as Jordan Farmer led off with an infield single and scored on a Tori Freedman double.
After a strikeout began the sixth, Carpenter hit her fourth home run of the season for a 2-1 Crusader lead. Aleshia Peek began the Mars Hill seventh with a single and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt before a flyout and strikeout ended the game.
Lail went one-for-three with a home run and RBI to lead Mars Hill. Peek, Garcia, Taylor Caviness and Robyn Stanek each had singles for the Lions.
Shelby Culler took the loss, allowing one run on two hits with a walk and a strikeout in two innings. Taylor Hussey allowed one run on five hits in four innings of work.
Carpenter earned the win as she surrendered one run on five hits with one walk and three strikeouts in six-plus innings. Anna Rogers recorded a save as she struck out one batter in an inning of work.
Game 2: North Greenville 5, Mars Hill 4 (Final-8 Innings)
Sarah Armstrong singled to score Michelle Brown with two outs in the eighth inning for a 5-4 NGU victory.
Tori Freedman hit a three-run home run with two outs in the third inning to give the hosts a 3-0 lead. With one out in the Mars Hill fifth, Jamie Booze worked a walk and advanced to second on a Taylor Caviness single. Robyn Stanek hit her second home run of the season to tie the contest at 3.
The Crusaders took a 4-3 lead in the sixth inning thanks to an Emily Murphy home run with two outs. Mars Hill answered with a two-out rally of their own as Shelby Culler reached on a single before being replaced on the bases by Caviness. Following a walk and an Erin Vickery single to load the bases, Taylor Lail singled to right to score Caviness and tie the contest at 4. The Crusaders went down in order in the seventh to force extra innings.
Mars Hill would have the winning run at third base with one out in the eighth but a lineout and groundout ended the threat. North Greenville bunted the international tiebreaker runner over to third before the Lions got a foul out for the second out. Armstrong's base hit thru the left side of the Lion infield plated the winning run.
Stanek went two-for-three with a single, home run, three RBI and run scored, while Lail went two-for-three with two singles and an RBI. Caviness went one-for-two with two runs scored.
Christine Phillips earned the win as she threw 1.1 innings without allowing a hit. Chelsea Broughman took the loss, allowing two runs, one earned, on three hits with one walk and two strikeouts in 3.2 innings.
Mars Hill opens South Atlantic Conference play against Catawba on Saturday at 1 p.m.
