Central, SC – Southern Wesleyan fell in an extra inning heart breaker to the Mars Hill Lions on Tuesday evening in an 8-5 final score.

The Warriors totaled nine hits in the loss with center fielder Matthew McCaffrey leading the team with three hits.  Tristan Tillman was the other Warrior with multiple hits in the game as he collected two.  Southern Wesleyan walked ten times and stole eight bases.  Tillman led the team with three steals while McCaffrey followed with two.  Nolan Evatt, Kade Bowling and Ethan Jarvis each had one stolen base in the game.

Benjamin Applebee started on the mound for the Warriors and pitched two innings while striking out one batter.  He was followed in relief by six Warriors.  Matthew White led the team with five strikeouts.  Nick Gonsalves struck out three batters, and both Coleman Wylie and Gavin Kent had two strikeouts.

Game Vitals

Final: Mars Hill 8, Southern Wesleyan 5

Records: Southern Wesleyan (2-4) Mars Hill (1-5)

How It Happened

Southern Wesleyan was first on the board against Mars Hill on Tuesday evening.  Tristan Tillman led off the inning by reaching on a single.  Tillman then stole second and Nolan Evatt walked.  The Warriors were not done as both Tillman and Evatt stole a base to put both in scoring position for Ethan Shimmel.  Shimmel hit a sacrifice fly out to left field to bring Tillman in to score the first run of the game.

Mars Hill answered in the top of the second inning as a sacrifice fly by Miller allowed Starkey to come in to score.

The Warriors regained the advantage in the bottom of the inning.  With one out, Matthew McCaffrey hit a single to center field and then stole second.  Seth Pettett followed by hitting a single to third base to allow McCaffrey to advance to third.  With runners on the corners and one out, Chance Kennedy laid down a bunt to bring McCaffrey in to score.

However, the Lions took the lead in the top of the third as Starkey sent the ball into left field for a double that allowed both Bumgarner and Matson to come in to score.

In the bottom of the fourth inning, the Warriors tied the game up at three.  With one out, Tristan Tillman hit a single into center field and then advanced to second on a wild pitch.  With Nolan Evatt at bat, Tillman went on to steal third base.  Evatt then reached on an error by the shortstop to bring Tillman in to score.

Southern Wesleyan regained the lead in the sixth inning.  Ethan Shimmel led off the inning by reaching on a walk and then advanced to second as Josh Long was hit by a pitch.  Kade Bowling walked to load up the bases for Ethan Jarvis.  Jarvis was hit by a pitch to bring Shimmel in to score to put the Warriors back on top.  Matthew McCaffrey then hit a sacrifice fly to center field to bring Long in to score.

However, the Lions tied the game back up in the eighth inning off a walk and a hit by pitch. 

Mars Hill took the led in the top of the twelfth inning as a double by Matson and a single by Bumgarner brought three runs in to score. 

The Warriors challenged in the bottom of the inning as Nolan Evatt and Beau Berge reached base.  However, they were unable to bring them home as they fell to the Lions in an 8-5 final score.

What's Next

Southern Wesleyan will travel to Augusta, GA on February 11 to take on the Augusta Jaguars.  They will then open up Conference Carolinas action on the road as they travel to Young Harris, GA to take on the Young Harris Mountain Lions.  The Warriors will take on the Georgia College Bobcats on February 18 in Milledgeville, GA.