Lions drop both games in season opening contests against Lander
The Mars Hill softball team opened their 2018 season with a pair of losses versus Lander Thursday afternoon. Ragan Broome had four hits in seven at-bats, including a homerun.
GREENWOOD, S.C. – The Mars Hill softball team opened their 2018 season with a pair of losses versus Lander Thursday afternoon. Ragan Broome had four hits in seven at-bats, including a homerun.
GAME ONE
A four run first inning by the Bearcats was the undoing for the Lions in game one of their season-opening double-header as they fell to Lander, 6-2.
Broome opened the game with a single off of Brianna Surrento. While Krista Romine was up, Broome was caught stealing from a throw by Chandler Carey. Romine grounded out later in her at-bat. Christiana Marasa would add a single in the inning, but the Lions would ground out on the next at-bat.
Marasa took the mound for the Lions and struggled early. After getting Sydney Grimes to ground out, the junior pitcher walked Jace Bennefield. A weak groundball allowed Carey to get on first while advancing Bennefield. The runners advanced once again as Surrento was hit by a pitch. A single from Ashley Vinson scored Bennefield for the first run of the game.
Still with only one out, another Bearcat single from Kelli McCormack potted the second run of the inning. Casey Wooten reached on an error that allowed Surrento to cross home plate. Lander would add another run from a sacrifice fly off the bat of Halie Sorrow.
After a scoreless second inning, each team scored a run in the third.
The Lions loaded the bases with one out in the inning. Ashley Evans hit a RBI single to plate Broome for the first run of the season. McCormack singled to lead off the bottom of the inning for Lander and was advanced to second off of a sacrifice bunt. She later stole third and scored on a RBI groundout from Wooten to extend their lead to 5-1.
Mars Hill cut the lead down by a run in the top of the fifth inning. Broome walked in her third at-bat and advanced to third after an error from Kasey Rogers. A groundout from Marasa brought Broome home for the second Lions run.
Grimes led off the inning with a walk and stole second immediately. Bennefield's singe pushed Grimes to third and on a double-steal attempt, Bennefield was thrown out allowing Grimes to score the sixth run.
The Lions had 10 hits in the contest with Broome, Marasa and Evans each having two. Sorrow led Lander with two RBIs.
Brianna Surrento picks up the win, allowing two runs on seven hits in five innings. Christiana Marasa allowed four earned run in four innings pitched off of seven hits in the loss.
GAME TWO
Broome continued to her hot start with a leadoff homerun to begin game two of the double-header. McKenzi Ferguson would then strike out two of the next three hitters to get out of the inning.
Wooten hit a one out single and advanced to second after Casey Stanek hit Carey with a pitch. With two runners on, Surrento blasted a three-run homerun to take a 3-1 lead into the second inning.
Two three-and-outs by both team in the second saw the Lions rally a comeback in the third to tie the game at three. After Emiley Burriss flied out to open the inning, Hollie Norris singled and moved to third off of a double from Broome. Romine's sacrifice fly scored Norris as Broome advanced to third. A Kayleigh Jonas single plated Broome to tie the game.
The lead was short-lived as the Bearcats scored five runs combined in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings. In the bottom half of the fifth, leading 4-3, Lander's Wooten doubled off of Brittany Duncan, followed by a single from Carey. Kyra Irvin came in to pinch run for Carey and stole second, placing Bearcat runners on second and third. Surrento sacrifice flied to left field, scoring Wooten and advancing Irvin. Vinson slammed a two-run homerun to give Lander a 7-3 lead heading down the final stretch.
Lander pulled away with an 8-3 victory off of 10 hits to sweep the afternoon. Surrento had two hits and drove in four runs. Vinson added three RBIs. Ragan Broome and Kayleigh Jonas had two hits in game two.
Ferguson picked up her first win of the year, going all seven innings and racking up nine strikeouts. Stanek was credited with the loss, allowing four runs on five hits in four innings.
The Lions open up their home schedule on February 11 with a double-header against Mercyhurst. First pitch is scheduled for 12 p.m.
