Mars Hill wins fifth straight, sweeps Davis & Elkins
The Mars Hill softball team (7-1) earned their fourth win in the past two days, sweeping Davis & Elkins (0-2) in non-conference play at Ponder Field Friday afternoon.
MARS HILL, N.C. – The Mars Hill softball team (7-1) earned their fourth win in the past two days, sweeping Davis & Elkins (0-2) in non-conference play at Ponder Field Friday afternoon. The Lions took game one by a score of 11-3 and shut out the Senators in game two by a final of 8-0.
GAME ONE: MHU 11, DEC 3
With the game tied at one in the bottom of the second inning, the Lions scored two runs to take the lead. An Emiley Burriss RBI single plated Jordan Harris to break the tie. With the bases loaded, Ragan Broome was hit by pitch, plating Brookelyn Nanney.
Mars Hill added four runs over the third and fourth innings to go up 7-1 entering the fifth. In the third, Nanney ripped a double down the left field line to score Hannah Smith. In the bottom of the fourth, Casey Stanek hit a two-run single up the middle, scoring Cassidy Allen and Ragan Broome. Nanney reached on a fielder's choice later in the inning allowing Stanek to score.
The Senators cut into the Mars Hill lead in the top of the fifth when Alyssa Cairns blasted a two-run home run over the center field wall, pulling within four runs.
Mars Hill closed out the contest in the bottom of the sixth by scoring four runs. Smith's RBI single started the run while Nanney added a two-run double to pick up her fourth RBI of the contest. Maggie Langheim's RBI single down the left field line provided Mars Hill the eight-run advantage to close out the contest.
Stanek picked up her second win in as many days and third on the season, allowing three runs on nine hits while striking out four. Haley Grindstaff was credited with the loss, allowing seven runs on seven hits in 3.1 innings pitched.
GAME TWO: MHU 8, DEC 0
A five-run second inning helped secure the Lions' second sweep of the week, defeating Davis & Elkins by a score of 8-0.
Ragan Broome, just as she did in game one, opened the scoring for the Lions with a leadoff home run to give the Lions an early 1-0 lead. In the bottom half of the frame, Ashley Evans launched a two-run blast over the left field fence to put Mars Hill up by three. Addison Harris added a RBI single while Maggie Langheim's double down the left field line scored two, giving Mars Hill a 6-0 lead.
In the bottom of the fourth, Christiana Marasa's pinch hit two-run home run provided Mars Hill the eight-run lead.
Entering the top of the fifth, Jennifer Poston struck out the first two Senators' batters and forced a pop out to clinch the five-inning win and the Lions' fifth straight.
Ashley Collins earned her second win on the year, allowing two hits in four innings pitched. Jade Allee suffered the loss, allowing eight runs on eight hits in 3.2 innings pitched.
Mars Hill travels to Gaffney, South Carolina on Sunday, February 17th to take on Limestone in non-conference play. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m.
