Maryville College picked up its first win of the season on Saturday afternoon, as the Scots used a come-from-behind effort to knock off Berry College, 3-2, in Rome, Ga.
The Scots took advantage of six Berry College errors, while putting together a five-hit attack to earn the squad's first win of the 2016 season.
"We competed very well in the first game," Head Coach Leah Kelley said. "Kayla, once again, pitched a phenomenal game and kept their hitters off balance. We capitalized on their mistakes and hit by committee. We still need to do a better job of situational hitting and scoring base runners."
Maryville (1-3) was led yet again by another stellar performance from senior pitcher, Aloisi. She moved to 1-1 on the season, allowing only four hits in the complete game victory, as she held off the Vikings in late innings.
Aloisi allowed only one earned run, while facing 27 batters. She struck out one, while walking only a single batter on the afternoon.
Berry College (1-1) found the plate first in the opening game, however, as Sarah Moore doubled to left to score Brittany Tut for the unearned run. Marie Collop added an RBI double to right to score Moore, giving the Vikings a 2-0 advantage in the bottom of the third.
Elizabeth Wheeler put Maryville on the board with a bases-loaded groundout RBI to second. The slap scored Savannah Cook for the unearned run. Going to the bottom of the fifth, Maryville trailed 2-1.
Again with the bases loaded, Maryville took advantage in the top of the sixth. Casey Joliff used a fielder's choice to score Megan Mihaliak, before Emilie Craven was able to find the plate off an error by the second baseman on the same play. The two runs completed Maryville's come-from-behind effort in the 3-2 victory in Rome, Ga.
Maryville was led by 1-for-4 efforts from five Scots. Cook went 1-for-4 with a run scored, while Mihaliak matched the center fielder. Jessica McMahan, Rachel Taylor and Alexus Murray each went 1-for-4 on the afternoon. Wheeler earned an RBI for the Scots – the only one for Maryville on the afternoon.
Moore led Berry with a 1-for-2 day, as she had an RBI, a run scored, a triple and drew the lone walk for the Vikings. Marie Collop went 2-for-3 with an RBI and a double, while Brittany Ferrell went 1-for-3.
Berry took the day's second game behind a plethora of offense. The Vikings scored eight runs – three in both the third and fifth innings – in order to topple the Scots, 8-0, in five innings.
Moore again continued her offensive onslaught, slapping an RBI triple to right center to score Brittany Fer in the bottom of the first. Moore scored on a wild pitch, giving Berry a 2-0 lead after one inning.
In the third, it was again Moore. The shortstop found an RBI single up the middle to score Brittany Tut, before Collop doubled down the right-field line to score Moore. Kylie Aiken used a sacrifice fly to score Shakarah Bos, as the Vikings led 5-0 going to the fourth inning.
Aiken found her second RBI of the day, singling to right to score Moore in the bottom of the fifth. Katlin Seger used a two-RBI double to left center to score Kayla Sangre and Kylie Aiken, earning Berry the 8-0 win through five innings.
"We pitched by committee in the second game," Kelley said. "Berry is very well coached and a disciplined hitting team. Giving up 12 hits to them is not my worry – us only getting two hits is. You've got to be able to hit with a team like that. We did not make an adjustment at the plate. We continued to swing at pitches out of the strike zone, while watching strikes go by. We will work hard this week in correcting our approach at the plate and being more disciplined. I am excited for the way this team comes to compete in the first game, but we need to do a better job in finishing the day."
Mihaliak went 1-for-1 with a walk, while Murray went 1-for-2 with a double in the game. Taylor was 1-for-2 with a walk, while Wheeler went 1-for-3.
For Berry, it was Moore that went 3-for-3 with three runs scored and two RBIs, while she added a triple. Aiken went 2-for-2 with two RBIs and a run scored, while Collop was 2-for-3 with an RBI and a pair of doubles.
Maryville will return home next weekend, as they host the Maryville College Invitational. The Scots will play Centre College on Saturday, Feb. 20 at noon, before battling Emory & Henry at 2 p.m. On Sunday, Feb. 21, Maryville will tussle with Emory & Henry at noon, before taking on Centre at 2 p.m.
