Baseball Loses Slugfest to Belmont Abbey
March 20, 2013Lions officially dedicate Henderson Field
MARS HILL, N.C. – ¬The Lions baseball team lost a slugfest against Belmont Abbey College Wednesday afternoon at Henderson Field. The teams combined for 30 runs and 27 hits on the day.
Prior to the game Mars Hill officially recognized the people that made the new Don Henderson Baseball Field a reality.
The Crusaders (18-7-1) scored in their first at-bat after Emilio Pagan crossed the plate on a bases loaded walk. The Lions (7-18) answered in the bottom half of the first scoring two runs on three hits. Phillip Carroll and Thomas Timmerman drove in the Lions’ runs.
MHC then exploded for seven runs in the third frame to lead 9-1 on five hits highlighted by two-RBI double from Evan Rogers and a two-RBI single by Jacob Rand. After a scoreless fourth inning, the Crusaders plated eight runs in the fifth inning to tie the contest at 9-all. Belmont Abbey scored the runs on four hits, four walks and one Lion error.
The Lions’ bats again answered the call scoring two runs in the bottom of the fifth and two more in the bottom of the sixth to take a 13-9 lead going into the seventh. Matt Mayo accounted for both runs in the sixth frame hitting a homerun to left field.
The Crusaders would not die. They plated three runs in the seventh inning to cut the deficit to two runs, 13-12. Belmont Abbey pushed the runs across on one hit and two Lion miscues. Tommy Scala pinch hit in the eighth inning and reached base on a hit by pitch. He later scored on a fielder’s choice to give the Lions a 14-12 cushion heading into the last inning.
After retiring the lead-off batter, Weston Clarke reached on an error, pinch-hitter Matt Mazzolla then singled to right field to setup a three-run homerun to left field by Quinn Hawksworth to account for the game winning runs. Anthony Dimino singled through the right side to score Ian Vazquez to make the final tally 16-14 in favor of the visitors.
Tyler Shuler and Evan Rogers led Mars Hill offensively. Shuler went 3-4 with two RBI, two runs scored and a double. Rogers went 3-5 with a pair of runs scored, a double and two RBI. Matt Mayo went 2-4 with a homerun, three RBI, a double and two runs scored. Phillip Carroll and Andy Runion added two hits apiece in the loss. Nick Villalobos took the loss (0-3) for the Lions pitching in relief.
Hawksworth came off the bench to lead the Crusaders going 2-3 with a homerun, five RBI and two runs scored. Michael Falsetti went 3-6 with a triple, two runs scored and a RBI. Matt Davenport picked up the win (2-1) throwing the last 1.2 innings in relief.
Mars Hill will travel to Tusculum College on Friday to begin a three-game SAC series. The teams will play a single game on Friday night at 6 p.m. and then meet for a double-header on Saturday beginning at 1 p.m. to conclude the series.
