Wingate, N.C.----The Mars Hill University Lions swept a doubleheader at Wingate University Saturday afternoon in South Atlantic Conference baseball action at Ron Christopher Stadium and Plyler Athletic Field. The Lions won the first game 9-3, while prevailing 14-0 in the second game to improve to 12-11 overall and 3-3 in the SAC. Wingate falls to 13-11 overall and 4-2 in league play.
Game One: Mars Hill 9, Wingate 3
Daniel Vitello and
Brett Brubaker each homered to lead the Mars Hill offense in game one, while
Hunter Merrill and
Christian Stampler drove in two runs apiece for the Lions.
Sophomore catcher
Andrew Llewellyn (Moseley, Va.) homered to lead the Wingate attack. Senior
Colby Barnette (Monroe, N.C.) and junior
Bradley Brown (Rockingham, N.C.) each added an RBI for the Bulldogs, while freshman
Joseph Mason (Morehead City, N.C.) collected three hits and scored a pair of runs.
Wingate jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first when Mason started the frame with a single, then scored on Barnette's sacrifice fly. Brubaker's RBI groundout in the third tied it.
The Lions scored three times in the fourth to take the lead. The first run scored on an error, while a two-run single from Merrill made it 4-1.
Llewellyn connected on a solo shot in the fourth, his third of the year to make it a 4-2 game. Brubaker led off the fifth with a solo homer to push the lead back to three.
The Lions added three more runs in the seventh inning. Stampler plated the first two runs with a two-run single, while a
Gray McCurry sacrifice fly made it 8-2.
Brown's RBI single in the seventh got the Bulldogs within five. Vitello put the Lions back on top by six with a solo shot in the eighth, making the final margin 9-3.
Caleb Edwards got the win, moving to 1-0 on the year. He allowed three runs on 10 hits in seven innings of work, striking out seven and walking two. Junior right-hander
Hunter Hamilton (Troy, N.C.) took the loss, falling to 2-1. He allowed five earned runs on 10 hits in six innings, striking out eight.
Game Two: Mars Hill 14, Wingate 0
Brubaker and
Devin Mangum each homered in game two for the Lions, while
Matt Honeycutt added three hits and three RBI. Vitello drove in a pair of runs, while Merrill and
Travis Owens each contributed an RBI and two runs scored.
Wingate was held to one hit in the game by Mars Hill right-hander
Alec Bivens. Freshman infielder
McCann Mellett (Charlotte, N.C.) had the lone hit for the Bulldogs.
Mars Hill raced out to a 4-0 lead in the top of the first, getting a two-run homer from Brubaker and a Honeycutt two-run single. The Lions piled up three more runs in the fourth, taking a 7-0 lead on Vitello's two-run triple.
The Lions scored six more runs in the sixth to take a 14-run lead. Mangum highlighted the frame with a two-run homer.
Bevins allowed just one single in his complete game shutout, striking out six without walking a batter. Junior right-hander
Hunter Morgan (Summerfield, N.C.) took the loss, falling to 3-3. He allowed nine runs on 12 hits in five innings, striking out five and walking two.
The Bulldogs are back in action Wednesday, hosting Franklin Pierce at 4 p.m.
