MARYVILLE – Joe Ruth had a hand in five of LaGrange's six late-inning runs as the No. 13 Panthers rallied past Maryville 7-4 here Friday night.
With LaGrange trailing 3-1 in the eighth, Ruth on a two-out, two-strike pitch doubled to right center to knock in a run and narrow the margin to 3-2. He then scored the tying tally just a few pitches later on Curt Bonner's single to center.
In the top of the ninth, after LaGrange had taken a 4-3 lead on a Maryville throwing error, Ruth blasted a three-run homer over the right field fence for a 7-3 Panthers margin.
That hit proved decisive when
Jimmy Meredith tripled home a Maryville run in the last of the ninth. But it wasn't enough for the home side Scots.
Starting Pitching Was Sharp
Both starting pitchers were good enough to win, though neither factored in the decision. LaGrange's Ethan Fry pitched 6 1/3 innings and allowed three earned runs on eight hits while striking out two. Maryville's
Bryce Leonhardt retired the first 10 batters he faced and went 7 2/3 innings, allowing three earned runs on seven hits with four strikeouts.
It was Leonhardt's longest outing of the season.
Ashton Shackelford pitched the final two innings for LaGrange and grabbed the win, improving to 4-0.
Brandon Schlabach took the loss for the Scots and is 1-1.
Meredith led the Maryville offense with a 3-for-4 showing and two RBIs.
Ashton Whiteaker and
Max Bowers each contributed two hits, with Bowers driving in a run. Colin Dunsworth was a contributor for the Scots on defense with several running catches in deep right field. Dunsworth finished with five putouts.
Ruth's line was 2-for-5 with two runs scored and four driven in, while Bonner was 3-for-4 with two more driven in. Rhett Mixon and Brody Hollingsworth added two hits apiece.
Maryville is now 19-13 and 3-10 in the Collegiate Conference of the South. LaGrange improved to 25-9 and 11-2.
Game 2 is Saturday at Scotland Yard, with Senior Day festivities beginning at approximately 1:40 p.m.
