Clark Burroughs
Brian Westerholt / Sports On Film
Sophomore Clark Burroughs smacked his fifth homerun of the season - and his first at home - Friday night against Mars Hill.
11
Winner Mars Hill MHU 6-8
2
Limestone LU 1-12
Winner
Mars Hill MHU
6-8
11
Final
2
Limestone LU
1-12
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Mars Hill MHU 0 0 0 0 4 0 4 0 3 11 12 1
Limestone LU 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 2 7 1

W: Andrew Hazell (2-1) L: Busse, Cory (0-2) S: Luke Kimrey (1)

Game Recap: Baseball | | Ernest Meyers, Assistant A.D. for Media Relations

Lions Power Past Saints in SAC Opener

GAFFNEY, S.C. – Visiting Mars Hill University used a pair of three-run homeruns to power past the Limestone University baseball team, 11-2, in the South Atlantic Conference opener for both teams.
 
GAME INFORMATION
Score: Mars Hill 11, Limestone 2
Records: Mars Hill (6-8, 1-0), Limestone (1-12, 0-1)
Location: Founders FCU Stadium
 
INSIDE THE BOXSCORE
 
  • Sophomore Clark Burroughs (Swan Point, Md.) went 2-for-4 with his fifth homerun of the season
  • Sophomore Dylan Shugan (Alpharetta, Ga.) added a base hit and a walk
  • Junior James MacCallum (Atlanta, Ga.) also chipped in a base knock
  • Junior Hunter Blair (Mount Union, Pa.) finished with a single and two walks
  • Senior starter Cory Busse (Wonder Lake, Ill.) struck out seven, but took the loss to fall to 0-2
  • He was masterful early on, but ran into trouble after surrendering four runs on five hits in the fifth
  • Sophomore Jake Contino (Mooresville, N.C.) finished with five strikeouts over 2.1 innings
  • Senior Brandon May (Blythewood, S.C.) tossed a scoreless inning out of the bullpen
  • Junior southpaw Willy Rodriguez (Brooklyn, N.Y.) recorded a strikeout in a scoreless frame
  • Limestone worked six walks and collected seven hits, but would leave 12 men on base
  • The Saints struck out 12 times at the dish while the pitching staff logged 13 punch outs
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
 
Innings 1-3
 
Busse was sharp in the early stages, sitting down five straight Lions to start the game before working around a two-out single in the top of the second. Limestone had a chance to give him a lead in the home half as MacCallum singled deep into the five hole to lead off before Blair walked to put two men on base.
 
The Saints moved the runners over on a sacrifice by sophomore Peyton Reel (Clover, S.C.), putting two in scoring position, but the next two stuck out to let Mars Hill off the hook. Busse would then strike out the side in the third before Burroughs put the Blue and Gold on top, 1-0, with a solo shot over the wall in left.
 
Innings 4-6
 
The Lions threatened in the fourth with a leadoff double into the rightfield corner, but Busse got the next batter to line out sharply to left before he picked off the runner at second to erase the danger. The visitors finally got to him in the fifth though as they batted around for a 4-1 lead, highlighted by a three-run homer.
 
The Saints stole a run in the bottom of the stanza, literally, as the Blue and Gold executed a perfect double steal with sophomore Gianni Lombardo (Statham, Ga.) occupying the defense when he took off for second while freshman Peter Adams (North Augusta, S.C.) raced home to cut the margin in half, 4-2.
 
Innings 7-9
 
Mars Hill got that run back in the top of the seventh and then busted the game wide open with another three-run bomb, this one to dead center to make it 8-2. The Saints ended up leaving five men on base over the last three innings, and the Lions tacked on three more runs in the ninth to take the opener, 11-2.
 
TURNING POINT
 
The Saints were in control early as Busse mowed down five Lions the first time through the order and struck out the side in the fourth, but he ran into trouble with a one-out bunt single in the fifth. Mars Hill broke through with two-outs in the decisive frame, using a three-run homerun to take the lead for good.
 
NOTABLES
 
  • Limestone went 2-for-19 with runners on base and was 0-for-9 with two outs at the plate
  • The Saints finished the night 0-for-10 with runners in scoring position
  • Burroughs has five of the team's six homeruns on the season – all have been solo shots
  • He homered for the first time at Founders FCU Stadium
  • The Blue and Gold have executed a steal of home in each of its past two games
 
UP NEXT
 
Limestone will wrap up its seven-game homestand and its first weekend of South Atlantic Conference play with a doubleheader against Mars Hill University on Saturday, February 26, at Founders FCU Stadium. First pitch on Saturday will be 12 p.m.
 
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