Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 The Maryville College Scots picked up their fifth-straight win, while assuring at least a .500 finish to the 2016 season on Tuesday evening with a sweep of Agnes Scott College.
MC downed the Scotties 13-4 in game one, before throwing down a 9-0 shutout in the second game. Both contests ended in five innings due to the run rule.
The win gives Maryville a 19-15 record, their best since the 2009 season. The Scots are now one win away for their first 20-win campaign in seven years and only the 12th in school history.
Maryville was led by Rachel Taylor's standout performance in the two-game series. The sophomore first basemen went 6-for-6 at the plate, scoring three runs to go along with seven RBI. Taylor had a hand in 10 of Maryville's 22 runs scored on the afternoon.
The pitchers also played a big part in the games.
Freshman Casey Joliff (3-1) got the win in the circle during game one, going 4.2 innings. She allowed only one hit, while fanning five. She walked only one batter without giving up a run.
Fellow freshman Morgan Corland (6-4) went the distance in game two, earning the complete-game shutout victory in five innings. Corland gave up only three hits, while also striking out five.
During the day's first game, Maryville struck fast and early. MC compiled five hits in the first inning to score three runs, highlighted by an RBI single from Rachel Taylor and a two-RBI single by Elizabeth Wheeler. Jessica McMahan, Alexus Murray and Taylor scored the three runs, as Maryville led 3-0.
They added seven more runs in the bottom of the second, aided by errors from the Scotties. The Scots saw seven runs scored on six hits and two errors. Taylor used a three-RBI double to score Savannah Cook, McMahan and Jenna Roberts, before Taylor was able to score on a fielding error. Gabrielle Rathmell scored Murray with an RBI double, as Rathmell scored on sacrifice fly from Wheeler. Roberts tripled to right-center, scoring Joliff, as Maryville led 10-0 after two innings.
They added another two runs in the bottom of the third on three hits. Megan Mihaliak used an RBI single to score Taylor, before Wheeler earned her fourth RBI with a groundout to score Murray. Maryville held a commanding 12-0 lead through three, but Agnes Scott would strike back.
The Scotties scored four runs on four hits and two errors during the top of the fourth, pulling to within eight, 12-4.
Maryville would add an insurance run in the bottom of the fourth, as McMahan would score on Taylor's RBI single. The Scots took the win, 13-4 in five innings.
The Scots (19-15) were led by Taylor's 4-for-4 day, as she scored three runs and batted in an additional five. Wheeler was 1-for-2 with four RBI, while McMahan went 3-for-3 with three runs plated. Murray was 2-for-4 with three runs scored, while Roberts went 2-for-3 with a run and an RBI. Rathmell went 1-for-4 with an RBI and a run, as Cook was 2-for-4, scoring a run. Joliff also crossed the plate in Maryville's 13-run performance.
Alex Garcia led the Scotties (4-18), going 1-for-2 with two RBI in Agnes Scott's four-hit day.
In the day's second game, Maryville again scored first. Murray found the RBI single to center to score Cook, as the Scots led 1-0 after one inning.
In the second, they would plate another after Agnes Scott loaded the bags with two walks and a hit-by-pitch. Taylor found her sixth RBI of the afternoon with a single to second. Emilie Craven scored, as Maryville led 2-0 after two complete innings.
The Scots continued their scoring in the bottom of the third. Roberts drew a bases-loaded RBI walk to score Megan Mihaliak. Craven scored on the next toss following a wild pitch to load the bags again. Cook cleared them with a three-RBI triple down the left-field line, scoring Corland, Roberts and McMahan. Taylor continued her dominance with her seventh RBI of the day with a single through the right side to score Cook. The Scots took an 8-0 lead to the fourth inning.
Maryville added another run in the bottom of the fourth, as Rathmell scored during a run down for a 9-0 final.
MC saw Cook go 2-for-3 with three RBI and two runs scored, as she added a triple. Taylor was 2-for-2 with two RBI, while Craven went 1-for-1 with two runs scored. Murray was 1-for-3 with an RBI, while Mihaliak was 1-for-2 with a run. Rathmell, Roberts and McMahan each plated scores, as Roberts added an RBI.
Kelsea Hunter, Jordyn Portis and Jordan Josey each went 1-for-2 for the Scotties in their three-hit attack, as Corland held a perfect game through four innings.
Maryville will take a weekend road swing in North Carolina, as they face USA South competition. They play Meredith College on Saturday at 1 p.m., before facing William Peace at noon on Sunday.
The pair of double-headers will be the final regular season contests for the Scots, before they enter their first-ever USA South Tournament on Thursday, April 14.
