Mars Hill sweeps Lees-McRae in home opener
Lions put up 26 runs to improve to 9-3.
MARS HILL, N.C. - The Mars Hill softball team (9-3) swept Lees-McRae (2-4), by scores of 13-0 and 13-5, Monday afternoon inside Ponder Field to open their 2026 home slate.
GAME ONE: MHU 13, LMC 0 - 5 Innings
The Lions' offense went on an onslaught in the second inning, tallying seven runs, highlighted by Maia Sholter's two-run double. Sydney Hodges opened the scoring with a first-pitch blast over the center field wall in the second. Later in the frame, the duo of Alexis Nanney and Sara Rexrode each added RBI singles.
Hodges, in the same inning, recorded a RBI triple. In the third, Sholter collected her third RBI of the game with a single to right, plating Daci Sarver. Later in the inning, Sadie Cecil smashed a grand slam over the right center fence to build the Lions' lead to 12.
Mia Angus capped off the scoring in the fourth with a sacrifice fly to right, scoring Riley Waters.
Sholter led all players with three hits while Cecil led all with four RBI. Cecil, Nanney, Hodges, and Brooke Hanson each recorded two hits on the day.
Kamryn Akins threw a master class, allowing just one hit and one other baserunner in the five-inning win. She struck out eight on the day and advances to 5-0 on the year.
GAME TWO: MHU 13, LMC 5 - 5 Innings
Mars Hill's offense continued to roll, scoring in every inning of game two's 13-5 win, including back-to-back four-run innings in the first and second.
Trailing 1-0 after the top of the first, Sydney Hodges tied the game with a RBI double in the bottom of the frame. Sadie Cecil followed with a RBI single, before later scoring, along with Leah Grimes, on Riley Waters' two-run triple.
In the second, Maia Sholter bumped the Lions' lead to 7-1 with a three-run home run, immediately followed by a solo shot off the bat of Sara Rexrode.
Allie Johnston, in the top of the third, cut the Lions' lead down to four with a three-run home run of her own.
The Lions responded in the bottom of the inning as Daci Sarver blasted a two-run shot and in the fourth, Waters picked up three more RBI with a home run to left.
Hodges led all players with three hits followed by two apiece from Sholter and Waters. Waters led all players with five RBI while Sholter added three.
Vivian Stone earned the win, allowing four runs on four hits in three innings. Karly Gentry entered the contest in the fourth, allowing just one run and one hit in two innings, striking out three.
Mars Hill returns to the diamond on Saturday, February 21 when they take part in the Converse Round Robin, facing Fayetteville State at 2:30 p.m., followed by host school Converse, slated for a 5 p.m. first pitch.
