Eagles Fall Twice at Mars Hill
April 12, 2009
MARS HILL, N.C. - The Mars Hill baseball team swept a doubleheader Saturday from Carson-Newman at Henderson Field. The Lions won the first game 12-7 and the second game 7-4. Mars Hill improves to 24-18 overall and 12-8 in the SAC. Carson-Newman drops to 22-19 overall and 6-12 in the SAC.
The Lions jumped out to a 5-0 advantage with two runs in the second and three in the third inning. Dalton Hardee (Boone, N.C.) walked to score Mike Kitt (West Islip, N.Y.) and get Mars Hill on the board. Leading 2-0 in the third, Hardee hit a two-run single through the left side, and Mike Dobre (Pompano Beach, Fla.) laced a RBI double to left field.
The Eagles responded with one run in each of the fourth and fifth innings to trim the deficit to 5-2. Corey Lamson (Gray, Tenn.) was hit by a pitch, plating Aaron Vargas (Oak Ridge, Tenn.), and Wesley Dozier (Cornelius, N.C.) hit a RBI single to right center.
Mars Hill blew the game open with four runs in the sixth. Leading 6-2, Kitt singled up the middle to plate Brian Williams (Orlando, Fla.). In the next at-bat, Matt Oleski (West Seneca, N.Y.) blasted a three-run bomb to give the Lions a 10-2 lead.
Carson-Newman mounted a comeback in the seventh. Derek Long (Jefferson City, Tenn.) reached on an error, scoring Vargas to start the rally. Rory Elliott (Jefferson City, Tenn.) then hit a RBI single to left field to cut the margin to six runs. Tyler Kitts (Knoxville, Tenn.) hit a sacrifice fly before Cory Harless (Corryton, Tenn.) was hit by a pitch which scored Ryan Jordan (Abingdon, Va.) to make the count 10-6 in favor of Mars Hill. Evan Patterson (Knoxville, Tenn.) finished off the frame with a RBI single to second base to cut the deficit to three runs, but Vargas grounded out to end the threat.
The Lions added two insurance runs in the eighth inning. A Brandon Savoca (Riegelwood, N.C.) RBI double to left center and Oleski sacrifice fly pushed the lead back to five runs.
Corey Rau (Tunkhannock, Pa.), now 3-2, won game one for Mars Hill. He pitched five innings and gave up two runs on three hits. Justin Hall (Martinsville, Va.) notched his third save of the season with a one hit performance in two and one-third innings.
Wes McIntyre (Chattanooga, Tenn.), now 4-2, dropped the game for Carson-Newman. He surrendered two runs on one hit in one inning.
The Eagles struck first in game two the top of the second inning. Cody Nix (Cartersville, Ga.) hit a single through the right side, plating Mills Rogers (Simpsonville, S.C.) and Jordan to give Carson-Newman a 2-0 lead. The score jumped to 4-0 off RBI singles by Mason Guymon (Oak Ridge, Tenn.) and Patterson.
The Lions cut the deficit to 4-2 in the bottom of the inning when Hardee and Dobre recorded RBI singles. Mars Hill later tied the game in the fourth when Hardee reached base on a throwing error, allowing Kitt to score on the play which was followed by a Dobre RBI double to center field.
Mars Hill took the lead for good in the fifth when Williams jacked a two-run homer to make the score 6-4. The Lions added another run when Kitt scored off a sacrifice fly by Patrick Davidson (Swannanoa, N.C.).
Matt Dameron (Mt. Holly, N.C.), now 4-0, picked up the win for Mars Hill. He went three and two-third innings and allowed no runs on two hits. Joey Hone (Sunrise, Fla.) got his first save of the season with two innings of one hit shutout ball.
Corbin Ariail (Elgin, S.C.), now 3-3, dropped the decision for Carson-Newman. He gave up seven runs on nine hits in four and one-third innings.
