Baseball Takes Sunday Rubber Match Over Mars Hill 5-2

SALISBURY, N.C. -- The Catawba College baseball team defeated Mars Hill on Sunday afternoon, taking the series victory in the process at Newman Park. The Catawba Indians improve to 6-4 on the year, while the Lions drop to 2-10 on the season.

The team benefitted from a stellar performance on the mound from Mason Gwyn, who tossed six shutout innings, giving up just two hits and two walks while striking out six. Robbie Cowie also added two innings of shutout relief, striking out three. Cole Hales earned the one-out save.

Catawba was led offensively by Carson Yates, who racked up three hits including a double and drove in a run. Logan Rogers drove in two more on a base hit, while Ty Hubbard also picked up an RBI. 

The Catawba Indians scored in the first inning for the third straight game of the series, as Dylan Driver hit a one-out single and stole second before scoring on a two-out RBI single from Yates. Cameron Mills also scored in the inning on a wild pitch as Catawba took a 2-0 lead after the first frame.

Catawba struck again in the fourth inning, when Blake Marsh got hit by a pitch to lead off the inning and advanced to second and later third via wild pitches. Hubbard drove in Marsh's run and reached safely on a Mars Hill fielding error. Rogers extended the lead to five on a two-out 2-RBI single to right, scoring Driver and Hubbard before getting thrown out at second.

The Lions scratched across two runs in the ninth, but Hales struck out the tying run to earn the one-out save. 

Catawba returns to Newman Park on Tuesday, hosting Mount Olive for the second time this season. First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m.