DEMOREST, Ga. – Maryville's Regular Season ended Saturday afternoon with two tough losses on the road at Piedmont.
Both games of the doubleheader went just seven innings as Piedmont's offense was firing on all cylinders. The Scots fell in Game 1 of the twin bill by a score of 19-3, while Game 2 ended at 12-2.
The Lions scored 13 runs in the first inning against MC to take the victory in Game 1. Piedmont's first-inning outburst marks the highest runs against in a single inning for Maryville all season.
Hunter Thaxton continued his hot hitting, leading the Scots with five hits on the day, including a three-hit contest in Game 2. This marks his fourth three-hit performance in seven games. With his two-hit performance in Game 1, Thaxton has also recorded five-straight multi-hit performances dating back to April 22, vs. LaGrange.
The Sophomore has increased his batting average to .339 (40-for-118), good for third on the squad among those with 50 or more plate appearances.
Christian Carlton recorded a three-hit game of his own in Game 1. Carlton finishes the regular season as the team leader in batting average (.370), on-base percentage (.503), hits (47), and walks (29) while ranking second in doubles (13), and stolen bases (9).
Before Piedmont's 13-run barrage, Maryville scored first in the top of the inning on a ground out by
Will Hubbell that allowed
Jimmy Meredith to score. The damage was already done, but the Scots would score two more in the top of the third. First on a double to center field from Thaxton, and then another off a sacrifice fly from
Max Bowers.
Dylan Masters made his season debut in relief, pitching the 2/3 of an inning without allowing a run, and giving up one hit.
In Game 2, the Lions got on the board first, scoring two runs in the first inning. Maryville would fire back with two of its own in the top of the second following an RBI fielder's choice from
Ashton Whiteaker and a sacrifice fly from
Zach Fritts.
From there it was all Piedmont though, as the Lions went on the score multiple runs in each of their next three trips to the plate.
Chris Arbuthnot came on in relief and fired off two innings of scoreless baseball. Arbuthnot allowed two hits and a walk while striking out three in his final appearance of the 2023 regular season. The righty allowed just one earned run on April 7, at Berea, pitching 10.1 innings since that date. He has just an 0.89 ERA during that stretch.
Brandon Schlabach pitched the final regular season inning of the year for the Scots, going scoreless after allowing three hits. Schlabach made 11 appearances for Maryville this season and gave up runs in just two of them. He finished the season with a 2.87 ERA (5 ER/15.2 IP) allowing 15 hits and just two walks while striking out 14 batters.
CCS Tournament action begins Wednesday night as Maryville takes on Berea in a play-in game to determine who makes it into the double-elimination tournament. The game will be played at the host site in LaGrange, Georgia. First pitch is scheduled for 7 p.m.
