Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 Maryville Wins Opener; Most Runs in Kelley Era
LEESBURG, Fla. – A blowout followed by a barnburner.
Maryville began play at the Spring Games Tournament here Tuesday with a 27-1 thrashing of Ripon followed by a heartbreaking 1-0 walk-off loss to undefeated Loras.
In Game 1, the Scots posted back-to-back 11-run innings en route to their highest run total of the Leah Kelley coaching era. The last time Maryville put at least 20 runs on the board was in a 23-3 victory against Spelman back in April 2012, when Kelley was a team member.
Leading 5-0 heading to the bottom of the third, Maryville sent 15 batters to the plate and put their first 11-run frame on the board. Then they sent 15 more to the plate in the fourth and scored another 11 runs to blow past the Red Hawks.
Seven Multihit Contributions
Maryville banged out 24 hits in the game and had seven players record multihit games. Kaitlin Woodruff belted two triples as part of her 3-for-3 outing with three runs scored and four batted in. Emily Hill was three across the board: 3-for-3 with three runs scored and three RBIs. Jenica Brown finished 2-for-2 with two runs scored and two RBIs, and Cierra Hudson was also 2-for-2 with a run scored.
The best thing for the Scots was how many contributions came from those who didn't start the game but took full advantage when called upon.
Ava Whitmire was 3-for-3 with a triple and three runs scored to go with four RBIs. Starting pitcher Megan Ackerman didn't start batting until the third inning but went 2-for-2 with two runs scored and two driven in. And Campbell White finished 2-for-3 with two runs scored and two driven in.
"Game 1 gave everybody an opportunity to show what they could do," Kelley said. "We scored 19 or 20 runs after we started inserting new players, and that's encouraging. When we get into postseason, those players are going to be very valuable. So being able to give them a chance to come in and contribute like they did is really big. They swung the bats and they made plays on defense."
Ackerman pitched three innings for her sixth win of the season. She allowed just one hit and struck out four against zero walks. She did hit three batters, but those came during the opening two innings during a steady rain.
Late Rally Decides Nightcap
Maryville in the second game lost a tough one in the last of the seventh inning. Loras began its winning rally with a pinch-hit infield single by Morgan Machovec. Clare Murphy then laid down a perfect sacrifice bunt that became a single and more when the Maryville infield mixed up its defense. When the dust cleared, the Duhawks had runners at second and third with no one out.
Ackerman was matching zeroes in the circle with Loras starter Ashlyn Hemm, but she needed her best effort to get out of this jam. Ackerman fanned Hemm and then forced a comebacker from the bat of Claire Peachey. The Maryville pitcher played it safe and held the ball while preventing the run from scoring, but now the bases were loaded.
Emily Monahan then worked the count full before drawing the bases-loaded walk for Loras' eighth win in eight tries this season. Maryville dropped to 8-6.
"What a game; in all honesty, that was my favorite game of the year," Kelley said. "Megan pitched the best game I've seen her pitch here in the program. We've just got to do a better job of scoring for her. When your pitcher is doing so well, you've got to find a way and keep it clean on defense as well.
"It's all about the process. Games like that will make us better and prepare us for when we start conference."
Ackerman for her day pitched a combined 9 and 1/3 innings, allowed just the one run on four hits while striking out 13 against two walks. Brown in the top of the sixth had the lone Maryville hit against Hemm, who struck out 13 over her seven innings against one walk.
The Scots are scheduled for two games Wednesday afternoon, taking on Bethel (Minnesota) at 1:30 and Rutgers-Camden at 3:45.
