March 21, 2009

MARS HILL, N.C. - The Mars Hill baseball team took the first two games of a three-game series with Newberry Saturday afternoon at Henderson Field. The Lions squeaked out the first game 8-7 and prevailed in the second game 8-0. Mars Hill improves to 15-15 overall and 4-6 in the SAC. Newberry falls to 11-12 overall and 5-3 in the SAC.

In game one, Mars Hill got on the board first in the bottom of the first inning. Corry DiBiase (Orlando, Fla.) singled through the left side, plating Devin Presnell (Boone, N.C.) and Mike Dobre (Pompano Beach, Fla.) to give the Lions a 2-0 lead.

Newberry came back with five runs in the top of the fourth inning. Scott Horvath (Apopka, Fla.) hit a solo homer off Joey Hone (Sunrise, Fla.) to left field to cut the deficit to 2-1. Later in the inning, Derek Bley (Upper Arlington, Ohio) doubled to right field which brought in Phillip Bartz (LaCrescent, Minn.), Casio Grider (Hephzibah, Ga.) and Jim Pollack (Homer, Alaska) to give Newberry a 4-1 advantage. In the next at-bat, Michael Morin (Miami, Fla.) singled up the middle, plating Bley.

Mars Hill answered in the bottom half of the inning. Presnell doubled to right center, scoring Dalton Hardee (Boone, N.C.) to make the score 5-3 in favor of Newberry. After a dropped foul ball by Horvath that would have ended the inning, Brian Williams (Orlando, Fla.) blasted a three-run bomb. Presnell, Dobre and Williams all scored on the play to give the lead back to the Lions 6-5.

Newberry tied the game in the top half of the fifth inning. Pollack singled through the right side, plating Jovan Rohena (Trujillo Alto, Puerto Rico) to knot the score at six runs a piece.

Newberry reclaimed the lead in the top of the seventh inning. Grider singled up the middle, scoring Horvath to give Newberry a 7-6 advantage, but Mars Hill tied the game in the bottom half of the inning off a Dobre double to left field which scored Brandon Savoca (Riegelwood, N.C.).

Dobre played the role of hero again in the bottom of the ninth inning. With two on and two out, he hit a walk off single to deep left field, scoring Kris Torrance (P. Jefferson Station, N.Y.) from third base to give Mars Hill the victory.

Thomas White (Irmo, S.C.), now 2-1, earned the victory in game one for Mars Hill. He pitched two innings of shutout ball from the bullpen.

Chris Roman (Kissimmee, Fla.), now 2-4, dropped the decision for Newberry. He allowed two runs on seven hits in four and two-thirds innings pitched.

In game two, Mars Hill struck in the bottom of the second inning. Torrance jacked a two-run homer to center field to give the Lions a 2-0 advantage.

Mars Hill broke the game open with a five run fourth inning. Dobre doubled to left field, scoring Hardee to give the Lions a 3-0 lead. Mike Kitt (West Islip, N.Y.) later doubled to right center, bringing home Dobre to increase the lead to 4-0. After Presnell scored on a passed ball, DiBiase doubled to right field, plating Williams and Kitt to give Mars Hill a 7-0 cushion.

The Lions added another run in the bottom of the sixth inning. Matt Oleski (West Seneca, N.Y.) led off with a solo shot to concluded the scoring output.

Justin Hall (Martinsville, Va.), now 3-1, threw a complete game for Mars Hill. He surrendered no runs on four hits while striking out five batters.

Dale Bennett (Summerville, S.C.), now 1-4, dropped the second game for Newberry. He gave up two runs on six hits in only one and two-thirds innings pitched.

Mars Hill and Newberry will play the final game of the three-game series Sunday at Henderson Field. First pitch is set for 1 p.m.

Boxscore...

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