April 17, 2009

MARS HILL, N.C. - The Mars Hill softball team failed to clinch at least a share of the South Atlantic Conference regular season championship on Friday with a doubleheader loss to No. 23-ranked Lenoir-Rhyne. The Bears won the first game 4-1 and the second game 4-2. Lenoir-Rhyne improves to 32-9 overall and 9-5 in the SAC. The Lions conclude the regular season 25-17 overall and 11-5 in the SAC.

The Bears struck first in game one in the first inning. Kat Rivers (Royston, Ga.) singled to left field, scoring Noel Belk (Charlotte, N.C.) from third to give Lenoir-Rhyne a 1-0 lead.

From there, both teams went scoreless until the bottom of the sixth inning. Ashley Harber (Goose Creek, S.C.) singled down the left field line and later tied the game when Hayley Brannon (Spartanburg, S.C.) reached on a fielding error by Rivers and advanced to second base on a throwing error by Brittany Cherry (Myrtle Beach, S.C.).

The Bears delivered their blow with three runs in the next inning. Belk hit a RBI single through the right side to give Lenoir-Rhyne a 2-1 advantage. In the next at-bat, Carlee Carpenter (Newton, N.C.) blasted a two-run homer to increase the margin to three runs. The Lions could only muster one base runner and never threatened in the bottom of the inning.

Dawon Millwood (Hixson, Tenn.) earned the victory for Lenoir-Rhyne in game one. She threw a complete game and gave up one run, none earned, on four hits.

Tiffany Farthing (Kure Beach, N.C.), now 9-4, dropped the game for Mars Hill. She also pitched a complete game but allowed four runs, three earned, on nine hits.

Like the first game, the second game was also a pitcher's duel. Neither team scored until the bottom of the fourth inning.

Ashley Seawell (Asheboro, N.C.) doubled to right center and later scored on a sacrifice fly by Anna James (Bellevue, Wash.). Mars Hill carried its lead into the sixth inning before Rivers nailed a solo shot to center field to tie the game.

Mars Hill retook the lead in the bottom of the inning. Ashley Angell (Winston-Salem, N.C.) singled down the left field line and advanced to second on a throwing error by Cherry. After Harber was intentionally walked, James struck out swinging but reached base on a wild pitch from Millwood. Angell scored from third base to give the Lions a 2-1 advantage.

The lead was short lived as Mars Hill unraveled in the top of the seventh inning with uncharacteristic mistakes. After an Erin Evans (Fort Pierce, Fla.) double and sacrifice bunt that moved her to third, Heather Brock (Yadkinville, N.C.) reached base on a lengthy hesitation by Paige Brantley (Raleigh, N.C.) checking Evans at third. In the next at-bat, Belk reached base when Rebekah Huff (Mars Hill, N.C.) fielded a grounder and threw home instead of taking a routine out at first. Evans beat Huff's throw and scored to tie the game at two. Two batters later, Sarah Atkins (Newport News, Va.) doubled to right center, plating Belk and Brock to give Lenoir-Rhyne the upper hand for good.

Millwood, now 16-2, grabbed the victory for Lenoir-Rhyne in game two. She pitched one and one-third innings of one hit scoreless baseball out of the bullpen.

Brantley, now 7-5, suffered the setback for Mars Hill. She gave up four earned runs on seven hits in six and two-third innings.

Mars Hill will next compete in the SAC Tournament April 23-26.

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