BRISTOL, Tenn. – The King University softball team split with Mars Hill University on Saturday afternoon. The Tornado earned a 9-7 come-from-behind victory, scoring six runs in the sixth inning, but the Lions scored in the late innings to take game two 5-3.

THE BASICS
FINAL SCORE: King 9, Mars Hill 7; Mars Hill 5, King 3
LOCATION: King Softball Field; Bristol, Tenn.
RECORDS: King 8-10; Mars Hill 9-5

SERIES HIGHLIGHTS

• Hannah Riddle paced the King offense with three hits, including two home runs. She also drove in three runs on the day.
• Kay Brokering drove in four runs on the day and ripped a home run in game one.
• Kaycee Casteel matched Riddle's three hits and Candace Maness also recorded two hits on the day.

HOW IT HAPPENED GAME ONE

• Mars Hill wasted no time grabbing the lead with a pair of two-out runs in the first inning to take a 2-0 lead.
• Brokering responded for the Tornado, blasting a three-run home run in the bottom of the inning with two outs to vault King into the lead.
• The Lions regained the lead on a two-run double from Kayleigh Jonas in the third inning.
• Ragan Broome extended the Mars Hill lead to 6-3 with a two-run home run in the fourth inning.
• King came back in the sixth inning as Maness evened the score with a single that scored Casteel.
• Riddle then put King ahead with a two-run home run before Erin Roper tacked on an insurance run with a bases loaded walk.
• The Lions loaded the bases in the top of the seventh inning with no outs. However, the Tornado turned a double play and Emma Hughes got the final out to give King the 9-7 victory.

OF RECORD

Winning Pitcher: Emma Hughes (2-4) 5.0 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 4 SO
Losing Pitcher: Christiana Marasa (3-3) 5.2 IP, 7 H, 8 R, 8 ER, 4 BB, 1 SO

HOW IT HAPPENED GAME TWO

• King jumped on top early in the nightcap as Brokering was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to give King the lead. Michaela Morris then ripped a single up the middle to give King a 2-0 lead.
• However, the Tornado left the bases loaded in the first inning.
• Riddle stretched the King lead to 3-0 when she laced an inside the park home run off the center field fence.
• Emiley Burris cut the Lion deficit to 3-1 with a home run in the third inning and Jordan Harris ripped a home run in the fourth inning to pull Mars Hill within one.
• Mars Hill evened the score on a Bobbi Jones single in the fifth and later in the inning, Ashley Evans put the Lions on top with a groundout.
• The Lions tacked on an insurance run on a Taylor Lail double in the sixth inning.
• King couldn't come back as they fell 5-3.

OF RECORD

Winning Pitcher: Cristi Pressley (1-0) 6.2 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 4 SO
Losing Pitcher: Leslie Odom (3-3) 7.0 IP, 10 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 3 BB, 1 SO

FOR THE FOES

• Broome posted four hits, scoring twice and driving in a pair.
• Evans recorded four hits on the day, including three in game two.
• Jonas drove in a pair on two hits in game two.

UP NEXT

• King travels to Lee University on Wednesday. First pitch is scheduled for 3:00 p.m.
• Mars Hill hosts Queens University on Saturday.