Box Score No. 4 Panthers Complete 3-Game Sweep
LaGRANGE, Ga. – No. 4 LaGrange lived up to is national ranking by completing a three-game sweep of Maryville with a 9-8 walkoff decision Sunday afternoon.
The host Panthers loaded the bases with one out and then walked it off when Rhett Hebert's squeeze bunt scored Jack Layrisson, who had doubled to start the ninth inning and moved to third on a sacrifice.
Maryville had pulled level 8-8 in the seventh when Zach Fritts drew a one-out walk and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Peyton Milam blooped a single that moved Fritts to third, and Fritts came home when Ian Campbell's push-bunt attempt fell safely and resulted in a force play at second.
The Maryville hero of the middle innings was righthander Damian Lusby. The senior went six complete and kept the Scots in the ballgame after entering in the second with Maryville trailing 6-3. Lusby allowed just two runs on four hits while striking out five over his longest outing of the season.
Lusby did not factor in the decision.
Gabe Lopez and Jimmy Meredith both went 3-for-5 to lead the Scots offense, with Lopez scoring twice. Christian Carlton was 2-for-4 with two runs scored and two batted in, while Campbell was 2-for-5 with an RBI.
Path to the Tourney
The loss drops Maryville to 7-8 in the USA South heading into a big home weekend against Piedmont. The Scots and Lions meet Friday, Saturday and Sunday in the regular season finale at Scotland Yard.
Maryville is on the outside looking in at a top-four finish necessary to qualify for the USA South Baseball Tournament. Brevard swept Berea and is in third place at 8-9, with one makeup game pending at Huntingdon. Brevard lost two games at Huntingdon, but the third game was rained out. Covenant also is at 7-8 to tie Maryville for fourth, but Covenant wins the tiebreaker by virtue of its April 15-16 series win against Maryville. Covenant has three games remaining at Berea (1-14).
The Scots, now 22-13 overall, need a good showing against Piedmont, which is in sixth place at 6-9 after losing three this weekend to Huntingdon. LaGrange improved to 30-5 overall and 12-2 in conference heading into a final weekend trip to Huntingdon (23-11, 11-3) to decide first place in the West Division.
