YOUNG HARRIS, Ga. | Mars Hill University used a seven-run first inning as the Lions held on to defeated Young Harris College 16-10 in a non-conference baseball game Wednesday (March 16) afternoon at Zell B. Miller Field.

Mars Hill improved to 20-8 while Young Harris fell to 8-15. The Mountain Lions return to action Friday (March 18) at 6 p.m. when they travel to Florence, South Carolina, to open a three-game Peach Belt Conference series against Francis Marion University.

It was another slugfest between the two teams for a second day as they teams combined for 36 hits, including 14 by the Mountain Lions.

Mars Hill took a quick 7-0 lead in the its first at-bat as they combined six hits off starter Bryan Syphoe (1-2) and two Young Harris errors. 

The Mountain Lions got two runs back in the bottom half of the inning as Nick Sexton doubled home one and Brett Westmoreland singled home the other; however, Mars Hill scored four more runs in the top of the second and three more in the fourth to open up a 14-2 lead.

YHC scored seven runs over the middle innings to close to within 14-9. Triston Smith was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded in the fourth and Sexton followed with an RBI walk. Luke Miller added a solo homer - his second of the year - to left-center field in the fifth while Westmoreland's three-run homer to left highlighted a four-run sixth inning. It was Westmoreland first long ball of 2016. Zach Wall drove in the other run on an infield single.

Mars Hill pushed across single runs in the seventh and eighth innings, before the Mountain Lions scored their final run in the eighth on a wild pitch.

Rayshelon Carolina led Mars Hill with five hits and drove in four runs while Phillip Carroll added four hits and 3 RBI. Adam Daniel (2-0) pitched a scoreless inning in relief to pick up the win as the Lions used 10 different pitchers.

Westmoreland led Young Harris with four hits and drove in four runs. Sexton, who drove in three runs, Smith, and Josh Peters had two hits apiece.