Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 MARS HILL, N.C. – In a doubleheader that was moved to the opposing team's field, the King University baseball team came out hungry to earn two wins over the Lions of Mars Hill University. King was quick to open a lead up in game one, earning a 5-1 win and followed that up with another win, this time 3-2 behind strong pitching in both contests to move to 8-12 on the season.
Braden Cook gave King a quick start tallying a single and immediately stole second. A great defensive play by Mars Hill kept the Tornado scoreless in the top of the first, heading to the bottom of the inning. Mitch Stophel would get the start for King and retire Mars Hill in order. The Tornado got on the board in the second inning, registering three hits scoring three runs to open the scoring to King 3, Mars Hill 0. Mark Hencken, and J.P. Castaneda delivered singles in the inning, scoring Jake Portugal and Forrest Haga. Stophel would allow one hit in the bottom of the second inning but no harm was done as he was able to exit the inning.
King would score again in the top of the third as Raymond singled to center field and was brought home by Ryan Whitt on a Lions throwing error. Stophel tallied three straight outs in the bottom of the third and heading into the fourth, King led 4-0. King lengthened their lead to 5-0 in the top of the fourth on a Braden Cook sacrifice fly into right field, scoring Hencken. The Mars Hill half of the inning would fly by as Stophel would continue to mow down the lineup.
In the fifth, King would go down in order and Mars Hill would post one hit but nothing crossed for either team and heading into the sixth, King led the Lions 5-0. The Tornado went down in order again in the top of the sixth going into the bottom of the inning. Mars Hill got on the board when Dylan Powers ripped a double over the head of the center fielder, scoring Rayshelon Carolina to bring the score to King 5, Mars Hill 1.
The seventh resulted in nothing as King defeated Mars Hill 5-1 in game one of the doubleheader. Earning the win for the Tornado was Stophel while Zac Brown was handed the loss for the Lions. Raymond and Hencken both notched two hits for the Tornado.
Game two started the same way for King as Cook doubled and Jose Sola delivered a bomb over the left center field wall to give King a 2-0 lead. The home half of the inning looked good for the Lions but Raymond was able to get out of the inning. The Tornado got another run in the top of the second when Josh Stephens got on base via a triple to right center and scored on a Cook single. Mars Hill would be kept scoreless in the bottom of the inning and heading to the third, King led Mars Hill 3-0.
The third would be a quick one for both teams as neither team would record a hit. The fourth had the same result for the Tornado but Mars Hill was able to get on the board and cut the King lead by one. Tommy Scala sent a towering fly ball over the left center fence but Raymond would hold strong and get out of the inning.
King got a base runner in the top of the fifth but no one crossed the plate heading into the Lions half of the inning. Mars Hill added another to cut the lead to one run on a Powers single scoring Evan Rogers. The sixth inning went by fast and head coach Blaine Brown brought in Nathan Helke for the four out close. Helke got the job done as King won game two 3-2. Raymond earned the win for the Tornado while Dalton Eisenbath was given the loss. Helked earned the save, his fourth of the early season. Sola accounted for two of King's three runs while Cook delivered the other.
King will travel to Lenior-Rhyne University on Wednesday, February 11 to take on the Bears. First pitch is scheduled for 6:00 pm.
