Lions Sweep St. Andrews
February 11, 2012MHC rallies in game two to earn sweep
LAURINBURG, N.C.—Mars Hill continued its hot start to the season, sweeping a doubleheader with 17-4 and 9-7 victories over St. Andrews at Knights Field. The Lions are now 5-1 on the season. St. Andrews fell to 2-6.
Taylor Morris picked up both wins in the circle, hit two home runs and drove in eight runs on the day to pace the Lions. Morris has now hit seven home runs and driven in 20 runs in the first six games of the season. Natalie Haithcox added a home run and five RBI’s for MHC. Robyn Stanek homered and drove in five runs, and Taylor Jordan hit her first home run as a Lion and drove in three runs. Six different Lions had RBI’s in the doubleheader victory.
Game One
Six Lions recorded multi-hit games to pace the offense. Mars Hill wasted no time getting on the scoreboard, jumping out to a five-run lead after the top of the first. A Haitchcox RBI single was followed by the first of Morris’ home runs, a three-run dinger. Jordan added a solo shot to cap the scoring in the first for her first collegiate home run.
St. Andrews struck back for three runs in the bottom of the first to cut the score to 5-3, but another big inning by Mars Hill put the game out of reach. Jordan drove in a run on a sacrifice fly, and Taylor Miller plated a run on a fielders choice. Stanek’s grand slam broke the game wide open and gave the Lions an 11-3 cushion.
That would prove to be too much for St. Andrews to overcome. Morris, entering in relief, pitched 4.2 innings to earn the victory, giving up a run on five hits and striking out four.
The Lions got production from nearly every spot in the lineup, as eight players recorded hits. Every Lion who started scored a run. Stanek (5), Morris (4), Jordan (3), Haithcox (2) and Miller (2) all drove in multiple runs for MHC in the 17-4 victory.
Game Two
Mars Hill fought back from a five-run deficit to score seven runs in the final two innings and earn a 9-7 victory.
Again, the Lions jumped ahead with a two-spot in the top of the first to take a 2-0 lead. St. Andrews however, hit right back with five runs in the bottom of the third. Amber Madden, Kim Baird and Lex Cowger all drove in runs in the big inning for St. Andrews. The Knights capped the inning by executing the double steal to perfection, with Cowger scoring the run to make it 5-2.
St. Andrews would continue to build its lead in the fourth, with Kelsey Lee driving in a pair of runs to make it 7-2.
That lead would stand until the Lions bats awakened in the top of the fifth. Ashley McCurry and Stanek each reached on errors to start the inning, and Haithcox plated both with a single through the left side to cut the score to 7-4. Morris followed with a two-run homer to cut the Knights’ lead to one. Mars Hill wasn’t done. Shaundee Woosley singled, and Kendra Reeder reached on an error before Megan Arrington gave the Lions an 8-7 lead with a two-run single to complete the comeback.
The Lions added an insurance run in the top of the sixth on a home run by Haithcox. Morris shut the door to earn the victory in the circle, with four innings of one-hit ball in relief.
Mars Hill will be in action again on Tuesday, Feb. 14. The Lions will host North Georgia, who was ranked third in the nation in the preseason NCAA Division II poll. First pitch is set for 2 p.m. at Ponder Park.
