March 29, 2008

Mars Hill College Baseball Sweeps Lenoir-Rhyne, 12-4 And 3-1

Bears fall to 18-21 on the season

Mars Hill, N.C. - The Mars Hill College Baseball Team (24-15, 6-7) swept a doubleheader from South Atlantic Conference-rival Lenoir-Rhyne College (18-21, 8-6), 12-4, and 3-1, Saturday afternoon at Henderson Field.

Game One - Mars Hill 12, Lenoir-Rhyne 4
The Bears scored three runs in their first at-bat on five hits highlighted by RBI doubles from junior third baseman Daniel Ford (Youngstown, Ohio/Manatee CC) and senior outfielder Mark Drucker (Boca Raton, Fla./Indian River CC).

The Lions answered scoring a pair of runs in the bottom half of the first when Danny Miller (Gaithersburg, Md.) singled to plate Austin Boehme (Winston-Salem, N.C.) and Michael Dobre (Pompano Beach, Fla.).

The Lions took a 5-2 lead in the third inning on two hits and one Bear error.

Mars Hill put the game away in the fourth frame as it scored five runs on five hits. Daniel Coffey (Granite Falls, N.C.) hit a two-run homer in the inning.

L-R scored its final run in the fifth frame when freshman shortstop Caden Cross (Arcadia, Fla./De Soto County HS) singled to drive in redshirt freshman catcher Brian Dice (Hickory, N.C./Western Carolina Univ.).

The Lions added two runs in the sixth and one run in the seventh inning to make the final tally, 12-4.

Boehme led Mars Hill as he went four-for-five at the plate with three runs scored and a double.  Dobre and Brian Williams (Orlando, Fla.) recorded three hits apiece and Williams added a double. 

Jason Kennell (Charlotte, N.C.) (4-0) picked up the win after throwing the final five innings in relief.

Dice led Lenoir-Rhyne with two hits, a double, an RBI and a run scored.

Redshirt freshman Brandon Padgett (Statesville, N.C.) (3-3) took the loss for the Bears on the mound.

Box Score

Game Two - Mars Hill 3, Lenoir-Rhyne 1
All of the Lions offense was delivered in the second inning thanks to a three-run home run by Boehme.  After two strikeouts, Brandon Savoca (Riegelwood, N.C.) and Dobre each singled to get on base for Boehme's round tripper.

Senior outfielder J.D. Harrison (Winter Haven, Fla./Polk CC) hit a solo homer to lead off the fourth inning to account for all of the Bears' offense in the nightcap.

Junior first baseman Zachary Glass (Salisbury, N.C./Salisbury HS) and Drucker led the Bears with one double apiece.

Sophomore Chris Henderson (Lincolnton, N.C./West Lincoln HS) (3-4) took the loss for Lenoir-Rhyne on the mound.

Dobre, Boehme and Williams tallied two hits apiece to lead Mars Hill offensively. 

Justin Hall (Martinsville, Va.) (5-2) threw a complete game, scattering four hits and just a single run to obtain his fifth win of the year.

Box Score

The teams will meet Sunday to conclude the three-game set with the first pitch set for 1:00 p.m.