Joe Burgarino, Sports Information Graduate Assistant

MISENHEIMER, NC- The Pfeiffer baseball team (1-1) opened up the 2016 season splitting a double head against Mars Hill (1-1) on Saturday afternoon. The Falcons dropped the first game in a tightly contested 4-3 loss. In the night cap senior pitcher Zach Huneycutt picked up his first win of the season pitching a complete game, only surrendering two earned runs, seven strike outs and eight hits in seven innings of work.

The Lions struck first in game one, scoring one run in the top of the first inning. Pfeiffer answered right back in the second inning scoring three runs off of six hits. The Falcons recorded five consecutive hits to start the inning. Tanner Mathis started the inning with a single up the middle, followed by a double by Derek Perry. Cody McKenzie drove in the Falcons first run of the game with a single up the middle scoring Mathis, but Perry was gunned out by the center fielder, trying to advance score on the play. Chaston Gordon singled up the middle scoring McKenzie giving Pfeiffer a 2-1 lead. The scoring was capped off by a RBI single by Dylan Goodman scoring Gordon from second base.

Mars Hill responded scoring two runs in third and one run in the fifth, giving the Lions a 4-3 advantage. Pfeiffer had a chance to answer in the fifth, as Jordan Eckard singled up the middle to start the frame. Anthony Allende followed that up with a single to left center. However, Mars Hill was able to tip toe out of trouble getting Pfeiffer to ground into a 1-5-3 double play to escape the inning unscathed en route to a 4-3 game one victory. Drayden Williams picked up the win for the Lions pitching 4.2 innings not allowing a run and Alec Bivins picked up the save only allowing two hits in 2.2 innings of relief.

Pfeiffer fell behind early in game two, Mars Hill scored one in the first and added two more in the second inning, none of the run being earned. The Falcons scored six runs in the bottom of the third, which started with a Xavier Rodriguez and John Elwood base on balls. Eckard singled through the left side driving in the first run of the contest, followed by an Allende RBI single making the score 3-2. Freshman Ryne Stanley put the exclamation mark on the inning hitting a 3 RBI double to left field, scoring Mathis, Perry and Allende giving the Falcons a 6-3 lead. The Falcons added one insurance run in the fourth inning when Mathis hit a sacrifice fly that scored Elwood. Huneycutt slammed the door on the Lions pitching a one, two, three seventh, giving the Falcons their first win of the season.

Eckard had a huge day for the Falcons going 5-for-7 in the two games driving in one run and scoring another. Hunter Jobe pitched two innings in relief striking out four batters, while not allowing a walk, hit, or run.

Pfeiffer completes the weekend series with a 1:00 p.m. contest against Mars Hill tomorrow afternoon.