Dalton, Dozier homer as Eagles beat Mars Hill in series opener, 4-3

MARS HILL, N.C. – The Lions' baseball team lost to the visiting Eagles of Carson-Newman College, 4-3 Friday afternoon at Henderson Field. Mars Hill fell to 16-19 overall and 7-9 in the SAC. The Eagles improved to 13-19 on the season and 9-7 in the league with the win.

Jonathan Dalton hit a solo homerun in the second inning to give C-N a 1-0 lead. Wesley Dozier then hit another solo homerun in the fourth frame followed by a RBI triple from Troy Zawadski to extend the Eagles advantage to 3-0.

Christian Diaz brought the Lions within a single run of C-N in the bottom of the fourth inning after he hit a two-run homerun to center field. Lance Rorex scored what would later prove to be the winning run in the fifth inning when he was sent home on a Lion balk. Rusty Smith singled up the middle in the bottom half of the fifth to plate Jarrod Payne to make the final tally 4-3. Payne led off the inning with a double to left field. Austin Bridgewater, who threw a complete game for the Eagles, was able to hold the Lions' bats at bay the remainder of the contest. Bridgewater allowed eight hits and struck out nine batters to improve to 2-5 on the mound.

Michael Brittian led MHC at the plate going 2-3 with a run scored. Diaz had two RBI and a homerun. Tyler Stephenson took the loss (3-3) for MHC on the mound.