April 21, 2009

MARS HILL, N.C. - Brian Williams (Orlando, Fla.) had three homeruns, four RBI and five runs scored as the Mars Hill baseball team concluded the regular season with a win on Senior Day over North Greenville 17-7 at Henderson Field. The Lions improve to 26-18 and are riding a seven game win streak. The Crusaders fall to 8-37.

Before the game, seniors Mike Dobre (Pompano Beach, Fla.), Adam Frydman (Thornhill, Canada), Matt Oleski (West Seneca, N.Y.), Lee Blalock (Monroe, N.C.), Matt Dameron (Mt. Holly, N.C.), Corry DiBiase (Orlando, Fla.), Jason Kennell (Charlotte, N.C.) and Williams were recognized for their hard work and dedication to the Mars Hill baseball program. The 2009 senior class led the Lions to the best South Atlantic Conference finish in school history.

Mars Hill got on the board in the first inning with a DiBiase RBI triple to left field. North Greenville tied the game in the top of the third when Derek Fulmer (Pelion, S.C.) homered to left center.

The Lions broke open the game in the bottom of the third. Oleski was hit by a pitch which brought home Williams to give the Lions a 2-1 lead. In the next at-bat, Patrick Davidson (Swannanoa, N.C.) doubled to left field, scoring Mike Kitt (West Islip, N.Y.) and Brandon Savoca (Riegelwood, N.C.) to increase the margin to three runs. Devin Presnell (Boone, N.C.) then singled through the left side, plating Davidson and Oleski to increase the margin to five runs.

After the Crusaders got back one run in the top of the fourth, Mars Hill again exploded offensively in the bottom of the inning. Kitt hit a RBI single through the left side to give Mars Hill a 7-2 advantage. With the Lions leading 8-2, Dalton Hardee (Boone, N.C.) singled up the middle, scoring another two runs to give Mars Hill an eight-run cushion.

North Greenville cut the deficit to six runs in the fifth when Chris Harbit (Charleston, S.C.) hit a groundout RBI, and Chad Drosieko (Easley, S.C.) scored when Dylan Fulk (Mt. Pleasant, N.C.) reached base on an error.

The Lions pushed one run across the plate in the bottom of the fifth when Williams blasted a solo shot to right center. Williams hit his second jack of the game in the seventh inning to make the score 12-4 in favor of Mars Hill.

In the eighth inning, Fulmer hit his second homerun of the day, a three-run shot to left center, to cut the margin to 12-7. However, the Crusaders would get no closer.

Mars Hill scored five runs in the bottom of the eighth, highlighted by back-to-back long balls to centerfield by Williams and Savoca. Williams' two-run homer and Savoca's solo shot capped the scoring and gave Mars Hill a 10 run victory.

The Lions used 10 pitchers on the day, and Greg Smith (Murrells Inlet, S.C.), now 2-0, earned the victory for the Lions. He threw one and one-third innings and allowed no runs on no hits.

Daniel Goodnight (Ellenboro, N.C.), now 1-3, dropped the game for North Greenville. He surrendered six runs on six hits in only two and one-third innings.

Mars Hill pounded out 20 hits on the day. The seniors were a combined 7-16 from the plate with three homeruns, nine RBI and eight runs scored.

Mars Hill will next participate in the upcoming 2009 Food Lion South Atlantic Conference Baseball Tournament, which kicks off Thursday at Wingate University in Wingate, N.C. The Lions, the third seed in the tournament, will face fourth-seed Wingate at 7:30 p.m.

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