Box Score Scots Blanks FDU-Florham 8-0
Photos Courtesy Concordia Wisconsin Athletics
KISSIMMEE, Fla. – Maryville made the bus ride home a happier one with an 8-0 shutout victory against FDU-Florham here Friday morning.
The Scots closed their week-long stay at the Spring Games Tournament with a 2-4 record, but they bookended the trip with convincing victories. Friday's triumph saw ace Megan Ackerman twirl a three-hit shutout for her seventh win of the season.
The southpaw fanned four and didn't issue a walk over her six innings in the circle. The Scots scored six times in the bottom of the sixth to halt the game by the eight-run rule.
"We finally had the opportunity to back up Megan," Maryville head coach Leah Kelley said. "She pitched great for us all week. Our offense struggled a little bit early today, but they adjusted and that is all I ask. The bats got rolling and we got to end this week on a positive note.
"Obviously, we wanted more wins. But with every loss, you must learn from it. As we continue to grow with a young team, we're learning from our mistakes, and we will continue to get better."
Ackerman 1.67 ERA Over Five Starts
Ackerman during her stay in Florida started five of the six games. She pitched 29 and 1/3 innings and allowed just 25 hits and 10 runs (seven earned). Ackerman struck out 26 batters against just four walks and finished with a 1.67 ERA for the week.
Maryville was peppering the ball early in this one, and yet had nothing to show for it. In fact, three Scot singles were wiped out in the second inning alone after Maryville batters were called for stepping out of the batter's box.
Shaking that off, the Scots finally broke through for a run in the fourth. Kaitlin Woodruff smashed a hard one-out single through the left side and then stole second. With two outs, Kaliyah Hensic blooped a single down the left field line that plated Woodruff for a 1-0 lead.
Maryville doubled its lead in the fifth, and it was all Amaya Goodloe. The senior right fielder worked a one-out walk, stole second, stole third and then raced home on a wild pitch to make it 2-0.
The Scots finally put a rally together in the sixth against FDU relief pitcher Kassidy Collentine. Sara Koonce and Emily Hill led off with walks, and then Woodruff plated pinch-runner Annie McCormick with a single to left. Woodruff and pinch-runner Courtney Deck then pulled off a double steal, and Brecca Williams beat out an infield single to load the bases.
First Annie Fowler and then Ackerman drew bases-loaded walks to make it 5-0, and then Ava Whitmire lofted a sacrifice fly to right that plated Williams. Campbell White re-entered in Ackerman's place on the bases and stole second, with the catcher's throw sailing into center field to allow Fowler to trot home with the seventh run. Fowler moved to third on a wild pitch, and she scored the eighth and final tally when Jenica Brown pushed her across with a sacrifice fly to center field.
Big Day for Woodruff
Woodruff had a big day at the plate and on the base paths, going 3-for-3 with two runs scored, two stolen bases and one RBI. Williams added two hits and a run scored, and Hensic had the other RBI-base hit. Ackerman with the pitching victory improved to 7-5.
FDU-Florham starting pitcher Ciara Hoffman went five innings and took the loss, falling to 2-3. Hoffman allowed just two runs on four hits and struck out two.
Maryville returns to Tennessee at 9-8, while FDU-Florham goes home to New Jersey at 2-4. The Scots are back in action March 26 at home against Birmingham-Southern. That doubleheader begins at 1 p.m.
"We head into next week with some things to work on as we continue to get ready for conference play," Kelley said. "Ultimately, these trips are about getting better but also for building team chemistry and team culture. We very much established that this week."
