Box Score Scots Throttle Bob Jones 11-1
MARYVILLE – Eleven is definitely the magic number for the Maryville Scots.
Maryville for the fifth consecutive game scored 11 runs and won an 11-1 victory over Bob Jones here Tuesday afternoon at Scotland Yard. The game was halted in the seventh inning by the 10-run rule.
That's 11 victories at home this season without a loss, the last four on the current homestand. The Scots spotted the visiting Bruins one run in the top of the first inning and then responded by scoring in five straight turns at bat.
"We stuck to our plan and our approach," Maryville head coach Clint Helton said. "Coach Wharton, Coach Henry and Coach Reese are hammering that theme home to our hitters: Have a plan, have an approach, get your pitch, get the barrel out and do damage.
"Kudos to our hitting staff.
The Scots belted 15 hits Tuesday in just six at bats, finishing the game 15-for-29 as a team for a .517 clip. Nelson Smith, Zac Graham and Max Bowers each went 3-for-4 and combined to score five runs.
"Every day, I'm getting more confident in my swing," Bowers said. "I changed two things and I feel more fluid at the plate.
"We have just passed the halfway point of the season and we all are getting more confident at the plate. We've scored 11 runs the last five games, so we are just feeling better."
Consistent Offense
Christian Carlton drove home Maryville's first run of the game with a two-out single to center in the first. The Scots took the lead for good in the second when Kendall Catlett rifled a two-run homer to left. It was Catlett's second round-tripper of the season to tie for the team lead.
The Scots put three runs on the board in the third. Nelson Smith singled and came around on a Carlton sacrifice fly. Graham singled and scored when Zach Fritts grounded out. And Jimmy Meredith walked and eventually scored on a wild pitch for a 6-1 Maryville lead.
The Scots plated an unearned run in the fourth thanks to a pair of Bob Jones errors. They then pushed across four runs in the fifth to reach the 10-run margin needed to shorten the game by the run rule. In that fifth inning, Fritts plated one on a deep sacrifice fly to right, Catlett doubled home Bowers, Gabe Lopez delivered an RBI-single and Smith brought Lopez home with a run-scoring hit.
Tanner Hurd allowed a run in the first but then pitched three scoreless innings to notch his first collegiate victory. The Crossville lefty allowed three hits and struck out five against just three walks. D.J. Cooper and Jakob Kerr combined to pitch the final three innings and allowed no runs on two hits.
Next up for the Scots is a three-game home series against USA South foe Huntingdon. Game times are Friday night at 7, Saturday at 2 and Sunday at 1. The Hawks are 14-8 overall and 5-1 in conference, with a home sweep of Covenant and a road series win at Berea.
"We want to carry our momentum and our energy into Huntingdon coming here Friday," said Helton, whose squad is now 15-7 overall. "This is where we need to be going back into conference play."
Tribute to TeamNeyland
Bowers played Tuesday's game with a heavy heart after Monday's news that Athens native Neyland Pickel had died at age 11 following a six-year battle with leukemia.
Bowers was a member of the Tennessee Wesleyan baseball team the last two seasons and was a big Neyland Pickel supporter. The Scots in tribute to Bowers and his relationship with Pickel wore Neyland's favorite orange jerseys for Tuesday's game.
"Neyland was really involved with our team there during my two years," Bowers said. "I spent a lot of time with him, and he was always at the field. He went with them to the NAIA World Series in 2019, and Wednesdays were always Orange Days for Neyland. It meant a lot to me that the guys decided to wear orange today in his honor."
