Box Score The Maryville College Scots celebrated a run-rule victory over No. 10 Berry College, as the Scots totaled 16 hits in a 14-6 victory.
Following a 6-4 loss in the day's opening game, MC bounced back to run-rule the Vikings in six innings during the second game of the day.
The Scots had a pair of big innings, including an eight-run fourth, to defeat the national-ranked squad.
"It's pretty impressive," Head Coach Leah Kelley said. "I don't think we've ever done that against Berry. Berry is an outstanding team – a team that I've respected the way they play the game. I think it says a lot about the way we're able to bounce back. They come in and take the first game from us, and my team bounced back. I think we finally relaxed. The first game, we were pretty stressed out, but I think they just relaxed and played."
Maryville's 16-hit attack was highlighted by four players recording three hits each in the game. Amaya Goodloe went 3-for-4 with three runs and an RBI, while freshman MiCayla Clark went 3-for-3 with a run and an RBI to go along with her first collegiate hit. Christina White was 3-for-4 with three RBI and a run, while Courtney Deck hit 3-for-5 with three runs and an RBI.
"It's great," Kelley said. "We all know that we're going to be an offensive team. All we have to do at the end of the day is score more than the other team. It's something we work on every day. The freshmen class, I expected them to come in and compete early in their careers. They are doing just that. Everybody was nervous in the first game, but they relaxed and started playing like we knew they could."
Kennedy Henry picked up the win in the circle for Maryville, pitching a complete game effort. She gave up six runs on 12 hits, striking out one on the afternoon.
Berry College (2-1) got the scoring started in the top of the second. Bayleigh Masterson laced a two-strike, line drive home run to left-center. That homer gave the Vikings a 1-0 lead early.
Maryville (1-1) got that run back and then some in the bottom of the second inning. Emily Hill and Clark reached on hit-by-pitch and walk, before back-to-back wild pitches allowed pinch runner Bailey Ensley to score. Walks by Kaliyah Hensic and Morgan Brewer put runners on, before a wild pitch moved both to scoring position. Goodloe laced an RBI single through the left side to plate Hensic, before Brewer scored on a Berry error. Deck scored Goodloe with an RBI single up the middle, before White returned the favor with an RBI single to score Deck. Maryville led 5-1 after two complete innings.
The Vikings cut into MC's lead in the top of the third on back-to-back singles by Shelby Daniel and Meghan Hunt. A two-base wild pitch allowed Daniel to score from second, making the score 5-2.
A three-run top of the fourth knotted the game at 5-all. A Samantha Crabtree hit-by-pitch and a Riley Jackson double put runners in scoring position, before an Aleeya Thornton bunt single loaded the bases. Hannan Razeq laced a two-RBI single to center to score both Crabtree and Jackson. A Daniel sacrifice fly plated Thonrton from third to tie the game.
A huge eight-run fourth inning broke the tie for the Scots, as MC took a 13-5 lead. The eight hit inning was highlighted by Deck posting a pair of hits, including the leadoff. White added a single, before Berry tried to pitch around Taylor Campbell with an intentional walk. Reid Ballard made the Vikings pay with a two-RBI single to right-center, plating Deck and White. Clark's RBI single up the middle scored pinch runner Cierra Hudson, as a Hensic two-RBI double to left-center plated Annie Fowler and Clark. Brewer's sacrifice fly scored Hensic from third. Goodloe and Deck posted back-to-back singles, before a White two-RBI single to left made the score 13-5 through four innings.
Berry would avoid the run rule in the top of the fifth, as Masterson lofted her second homer of the day. The blast made the score 13-6 going to the bottom of the fifth.
In the bottom of the sixth, Goodloe led off the inning with an infield single. The right fielder stole second and advanced to third on a groundout, before a wild pitch scored her for the game-ending run.
Ballard followed the three-hit performers with a 2-for-4, two-RBI day, while Hensic went 1-for-4 with two RBI and two runs. Hensic also recorded her first collegiate hit in the game.
Hill was 1-for-2, while Brewer added a run and an RBI. Ensley, Hudson and Fowler each scored a run for MC.
For Berry, it was Masterson who went 2-for-3 with two RBI and two runs on a pair of solo home runs. Daniel was 2-for-3 with a run and an RBI, while Thornton went 2-for-3 with a run.
Maryville will face off with Averetty University next weekend, Feb. 20. The Scots travel to Emory, Va., as the double-header is slated to begin at 1:00 p.m.
