April 3, 2009

MARS HILL, N.C. - Mars Hill split a doubleheader with Belmont Abbey and saw its seven game win streak snapped in extra innings Friday at Ponder Park. Mars Hill won the first game 4-1 but lost the second game by the same score in eight innings.

The Lions are now 18-14 overall. The Crusaders are now 8-26.

Anna James (Bellevue, Wash.) opened the scoring in game one. Her three-run blast off Kayla Short (Gastonia, N.C.) put Mars Hill up in the early going.

Belmont Abbey got on the board in the second inning. Short led off the inning with a solo shot off Tiffany Farthing (Kure Beach, N.C.) to cut the deficit to two runs.

The Crusaders were threatening in the third inning with the bases loaded and only one out, but Paige Brantley (Raleigh, N.C.) came out of the bullpen to shut down Belmont Abbey. She struck out both Short and Carrie Markham (Phoenix, Ariz.) swinging to end the top half of the inning.

Brantley was lights out for Mars Hill the rest of the game. She pitched four and two-third innings of relief allowing no runs on one hit while striking out 10 to earn her fifth save of the season.

The Lions' offense added an extra run to the scoreboard in the fifth inning. Ashley Seawell (Asheboro, N.C.) blasted a solo homerun to push the margin back to three runs.

Farthing, now 6-2, got the win for Mars Hill in game one. She threw two and one-third innings and gave up only one run on three hits.

Short, now 4-13, dropped the decision for Belmont Abbey. She surrendered four runs on four hits and walked four in five innings of work.

The Crusaders struck first in game two in the second inning. Gina Antonucci (Lexington, N.C.) singled up the middle, plating Megan Mullis (Charlotte, N.C.) to give Belmont Abbey a 1-0 lead.

Mars Hill answered in the third inning when Seawell recorded a RBI single up the middle. Ashley Angell (Winston-Salem, N.C.) came around from second base to tie the game.

The next four innings were a stalemate between both teams. The Crusaders had a chance to take the lead in the sixth inning when Danielle Puckett (Nashville, N.C.) singled up the middle, but Angell made a pinpoint throw from center field to Jade Bullins (Danbury, N.C.) to nab Markham at the plate.

The game went into extra innings, and Belmont Abbey would not be denied a second time. With runners on first and third, Short jacked a homer off Tara West (Urbana, Ohio) to give the Crusaders a three-run cushion.

Despite having a runner on second base, the Lions were unable to producer any runs in the bottom half of the eighth inning.

Puckett, now 3-5, picked up the victory for Belmont Abbey in game two. She threw five innings and gave up no runs on two hits.

West, now 7-8, pitched a complete game but was tagged with the loss for Mars Hill. She gave up four runs, three earned, on eight hits and walked four.

Mars Hill will travel to Brevard Saturday for a doubleheader. First pitch is set for 1 p.m.

Boxscore...

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