Mars Hill, NC – The Emmanuel Baseball team traveled to Mars Hill, NC to take on the Lions of Mars Hill University in non-conference play. The Lions took the early lead, but Mars Hill responded with 5 runs in the 2^ndinning. After the Lions scored 3 runs in the 6^th an 7^th to take the lead, Mars Hill tied the game in the bottom of the 8^th to force extras. Mars Hill took the game scoring a run in the bottom of the 12^th to earn the 9-8 win. 

Zackary Easton got the nod for the Lions on the mound. He gave up a hit and struck out two batters in the bottom of the 1^st to keep the game scoreless heading into the 2^nd inning. 

The Lions got on the board first in the 2^nd. After Tyler Bradford was hit by a pitch, he advanced to 2^nd on a wild pitch. Andrew Wilson walked to put runners on 1^st and 2^nd and Jaden Madrid singled, advancing to 2^nd on an error by the right fielder, and scoring 2 runs to give the Lions a 2-0 lead. After giving up two walks, a single, and a run to cut the Lions lead to 2-1 in the bottom of the 2^nd, Easton was relieved by Jacob Bodkin. Bodkin gave up 4 runs on a walk, a hit, and a fielder's choice to give Mars Hill the 5-2 lead.

Griffin Morris relieved Bodkin and sat Mars Hill down in the bottom of the 3^rd, giving up a hit but keeping the score 5-2, Mars Hill.
After a scoreless 4^th for the Lions, Lucas Meehan relieved Morris in the bottom half of the 4^th. He walked a batter but closed out the inning with a strikeout and a pop fly.

Hunter Maddox came in for Meehan in the bottom of the 5^th. He gave up two walks and was relieved by Joseph Rice who closed out the inning with a double play.

The Lions bats got hot in the top of the 6^th. Aidan Feather started things off with a solo homerun to cut the Lions lead to 5-3. Tyler Bradford followed that up with a single to left field and Matt Layton reached on a fielder's choice, with Bradford getting thrown out at 2^nd. Andrew Wilson came to the plate and took advantage, hitting a homerun to left center to score Layton, tying the game at 5-5. Rice sat the Mars Hill Lions down in order in the bottom of the 6^th, with two pop ups and a ground out.

The Lions kept the momentum in the top of the 7^th. Aiden Malish started off the at-bat with a single to center and stole 2^nd. After a walk to Feather, Matt Layton doubled to center to score two runs, giving the Lions a 7-5 lead. Parker Westbrook kept things going with a single to center to score Layton, pushing the Lions lead to 8-5. Rice continued to deal in the bottom of the 7^th, giving up a hit but sitting down Mars Hill in order.

In the bottom of the 8^th, Luke Hopper relieved Rice on the mound with the Lions up 8-5. Hopper got into some trouble, with Mars Hill cutting the Lions lead to 8-6 and was relieved by Zach Evans who gave up a single to score two runs, tying the game at 8-8. 

After a scoreless 9^th for both teams, the game went into extras. Mars Hill threatened in the bottom of the 10^th, getting 2 baserunners onboard, but Evans got out the inning with the score still tied at 8-8. 

The Lions picked up a hit by Haidyn McGill in the top of the 11^th, but a groundout ended the threat. Miles Dodd came in to pitch in the 11^th, and he shut down the side to keep the score knotted at 8-8. 

In the top of the 12^th, the Lions picked up two hits, with Nick Madrigal and Aidan Feather getting onboard, but a lineout ended the at-bat. Mars Hill scored a run on 2 hits in the bottom of the 12^th, earning the win on a walk-off single, 9-8.

At the plate, Jaden Madrid went 2-4 with 2 RBIs, and Tyler Bradford going 2-3.

Next up, the Lions will travel to Fort Lauderdale, FL to face Nova Southeastern on April 3^rd at 4 & 7:30PM.

For more information on Emmanuel University athletics, visit goeulions.com.