MARS HILL, N.C. – Mars Hill University used a 10-run seventh inning to pull away in defeating the Queens University of Charlotte baseball team 17-5 on Saturday afternoon in the opening game of a three-game South Atlantic Conference series from Henderson Field.
 
Mars Hill (6-13, 4-3 SAC) opened the game with a solo home run in the bottom of the first before Queens' redshirt-junior Mason Pickard scored from third on a Lions' error to even the score. However, MHU got a run across in both the second and third innings to retake the lead, scoring four runs in the fifth to extend the advantage to 7-1.
 
In the seventh, junior RJ Conner reached on another Mars Hill error and later scored on a wild pitch. However, the Lions erupted for 10 runs on just four hits, including the team's fourth long ball of the game, in the bottom half of the inning to build a 17-2 edge.
 
The Royals (2-17, 2-5 SAC) got a solo home run from Conner to lead off the top of the ninth inning and added runs on RBI singles from senior Drake Harris and redshirt-junior Dominic Ford with two outs, but MHU held on for the series-opening win.
 
Junior Nick Charleson (1-3) was hit with the loss after giving up seven runs on seven hits with a season-high nine strikeouts in five innings on the mound. Redshirt-freshman Drew Meschede and sophomores Evan Dix and Alec Hunter combined for the final three innings of relief.
 
Conner was 2-for-5 at the plate with his first home run of the season and two runs scored, while redshirt-sophomore Noah Jones was 2-for-4 with a run scored. Ford turned in a 2-for-4 day with an RBI and Harris finished 1-for-2 with an RBI of his own.
 
The Royals and Lions will conclude the weekend tomorrow with a doubleheader beginning at 11 a.m.