The Maryville College baseball team claimed a key USA South series with a double-header split against Averett University in Danville, Virginia on Saturday. The Scots defeated the Cougars 6-0 in the second game of the series before falling 4-2 in the series finale.
The first game of the day featured a pitcher's battle between Averett's Cody Johnson and MC's Evan Heffner. The first seven innings were scoreless. The Scots rallied for four runs in the eighth when Evan Ezell place a beautiful suicide squeeze scoring Johnny Carpenter. An errant throw in the same play plated H. Hollingsworth. Patrick Messinger place another sacrifice safety squeeze to make the score 3-0. Ezell would later score on a two-out single through the left side by Andrew Henry.
The combination of Evan Heffner and Rocky Mauriello held the Cougars at bay through 6.2 innings. Heffner tossed 6.1 innings allowing only two hits with five strikeouts.
Maryville added a pair of insurance runs in the ninth when Coach Cody Church called a double steal with Sam Jokerst stealing second while Caleb Adams scampered home. Patrick Messinger finished the scoring with an RBI single up the middle sending Jokerst home.
MC's Joe Jones would come in and face the final seven Cougar hitters to earn the win. The senior right-hander went 2.1 innings not allowing a run of hit on the afternoon.
The Scots' 12 hit attack was paced by Andrew Henry (2-for-4), Evan Ezell (2-for-4), and Patrick Messinger (2-for-4).
The win moved the Scots to 10-8 overall and 6-2 in USA South play.
In the series finale, a three-run first inning helped Averett take a game from the Scots. The Cougars touched up MC starter Joe Logsdon for three earned runs on five hits over six innings of work. Averett's Matt Tuggle earned a complete game victory on the mound scattering nine hits over nine innings while striking out seven Scots.
MC rallied for a run in the seventh when Drew Johnson scored on an Averett miscue.
Averett tallied an insurance run in the eighth when Chase McKinney scored on a wild pitch.
MC's Michael Hawks scored on a Caleb Adams fielder's choice to make the score 4-2. Tuggle would close the door for the Cougar victory.
Johnny Carpenter, Drew Johnson, Eric Hart, and Patrick Messinger each tallied a pair of hits in the Scots' loss.
Maryville falls to 10-9 overall and 6-3 in league play. The win moves Averett to 5-14 and 1-5 in USA South challenges.
The Scots will now prepare to host Wilmington (Ohio) for a non-conference double header on Scotland Yard beginning at 1:00 on Tuesday, March 14th.
