Maryville Roars Past Panthers 8-0

Tournament Central

MONTGOMERY, Ala. – Maryville obviously learned a thing or two about playing LaGrange, because Thursday night's rematch was no match at all.
 
Just one week after squeaking out 4-2 and 5-4 wins on home turf, the Scots left no doubt with an 8-0 victory on Day 1 of the Collegiate Conference of the South Softball Tournament. The game was shortened to five innings by the run rule.
 
Megan Ackerman pitched a one-hitter for her 12th victory of the season and seventh win in her last eight starts. The lefty allowed a leadoff single to begin the game and then just two more batters reached – hit-by-pitch in the second and fielding error in the fourth.
 
The complete game was her 12th of the season.
 
Big Sticks Come Through
Jenica Brown, Emily Hill and Ava Whitmire all delivered two hits to support Maryville's 10-hit attack. Brown drove in three and Hill and Whitmire two apiece.
 
Maryville stretched its winning streak to a season-high seven games, improving to 25-13. The Scots have won 15 of their last 18 games since dropping Game 1 of a doubleheader to Huntingdon back on March 25.
 
"We are playing our best softball at the right time," Maryville head coach Jill Moore said. "Megan was ready to go and came out strong and threw outs. Jenica continues to be clutch with runners on base.
 
"One through nine, our hitters hit the ball hard and we hit the pitches we wanted to hit."
 
Brown got the Scots going with a two-run double to right-center in the first. The Maryville centerfielder is batting .591 (13-for-22) over her last seven games with six extra-base hits and 10 RBIs. The Scots scored three more in the third as Brown delivered an RBI-single and Whitmire doubled home two.
 
Hill on a Hit Streak
Maryville upped the lead to 7-0 in the fourth when Hill singled up the middle to drive home a pair. Hill has reached base safely in her last 19 games for the longest run on the team this season. She has hit safely in eight straight, batting .385 (10-for-26) during that stretch with six RBIs.
 
Whitmire singled to begin the fifth inning and scored on Kaitlin Woodruff's single. Whitmire reached safely twice in this one, bumping her on-base percentage against CCS foes this season to an even .500 (24-for-48) to lead the Scots in that category.
 
Joining Hill on an eight-game hitting streak is Brecca Williams, who was 1-for-3 with a run scored. Williams during her streak is batting .423 (11-for-26) with eight runs scored and five stolen bases from the leadoff spot. Sara Koonce and Bailey Myers had eight-game hitting streaks earlier this season. No Scot has yet reached nine games in 2023.
 
The Scots play Friday at noon Central time against host Huntingdon, which defeated Agnes Scott 11-3 in Thursday's first game to improve to 30-8 overall and 20-4 at home. The winner of that game advances to Saturday's championship round. The loser plays again later Friday afternoon.