MARS HILL, N.C. – The Winston-Salem State Rams and the Mars Hill Lions batted to a split on the baseball diamond today, as WSSU took the first game 8-4, and Mars Hill taking game two, 6-0.
With today's game split, the WSSU Rams now stand at 20-11 overall, while Mars Hill now checks in at 14-18.
In game one, neither team would be able to get anything going early, until the third inning when the Rams jumped into the scoring column with back to back home runs to left field from Rafael Gonzalez and Anthony Nutall, to give WSSU a 2-0 lead.
Mars Hill would finally get on the board in the fourth inning, on back to back doubles to cut into the WSSU lead, 2-1.
Winston-Salem State would come back with three runs in the fifth, when Rafael Gonzalez doubled down the left field line, and Anthony Nutall reached on an error. Colby Keane would make them pay by slamming a three run blast to deep left field to give the Rams a 5-1 advantage.
In the seventh inning, WSSU's Leland Clemmons would draw a walk to lead off the inning and stole both second and third base. With two outs, Devin McLemore would also induce a walk, before Leland Clemmons would score on a wild pitch. After Levi Grassley would be hit by a pitch, Conner Andrus would single to right field, scoring Devin McLemore.
The Rams would plate another run in the eight, after Anthony Nutall reached on an error, Eddie Araujo singled to right to score Nutall, giving WSSU a 8-1 lead heading into the ninth inning.
Mars Hill would battle to within four, when picked up three runs on two hits in the bottom of the ninth, but the WSSU Rams would prevail, 8-4.
The Rams were led at the plate by Rafael Gonzalez who finished the game three for five with a run batted in, two runs scored and a home run, but it was Colby Keane who supplied the big punch with three runs batted in and a run scored, while going one for four with a home run. Anthony Nutall got in on the long ball, as he went one for four with three runs scored and a home run. Conner Andrus went two for five and Leland Clemmons finished one for three with a run scored. Eddie Araujo was one for two with a run batted in, and Devin McLemore scored a run.
Aaron Hatch went eight solid innings on the mound for WSSU, scattering seven hits and allowing just one run. He struck out seven and walked only one. JR Wright lasted just a third of an inning, allowing three runs on two hits with two walks and a strikeout. Austin Comesanas picked up the save to close out the ninth.
In game two, it was all Lions, as Mars Hill blanked the WSSU Rams 6-0 behind a one hit performance from Mars Hill's Dale Innes and Andy Runion.
Mars Hill would score two runs in the second and four in the fourth inning to defeat the Rams.
WSSU's only hit in the game came in the second inning on a double down the left field line from Levi Grassley.
Winston-Salem State used three pitchers in the series finale, with Ryan Mayhew getting the loss, after going 3.0 innings, allowing two runs and three hits, while striking out three and walking three. Eric Corlett went 1.1 innings, allowing four runs on five hits with a strikeout, and Alex Grubb went 1.2 innings, striking out two, walking two and allowing one hit.
Winston-Salem State will be back in action on Tuesday night in Hickory, N.C, as they take on the Lenoir-Rhyne Bears at 6:00.
