ROME, Ga. – Maryville battled back in the ninth inning but couldn't close it out, falling to Berry 7-6 in walk-off fashion Tuesday afternoon at William R. Bowdoin Field.
Trailing by two heading into the ninth inning, Maryville scored three runs to go ahead 6-5 in the final frame. The Vikings had one more shot in the bottom of the ninth, managing to put runners on second and third before Charles Pulaski roped a two-out, two-RBI single down the right field line to win the game.
The Scots and Viking went back and forth all game with Berry scoring one run per inning from the second through the fifth and Maryville scoring one each inning from the third through the fifth. Neither team scored in the sixth, allowing Berry to go up 5-3 after a run crossed the plate in the bottom of the seventh.
Maryville's three-run ninth inning was led by
Ashton Whiteaker and
Colin Dunworth. Whiteaker kicked off the scoring in the frame with an RBI single and later came around to score on a two-RBI base hit from Dunworth.
Dunworth also hit a home run in the fourth inning, a solo shot for the first long ball of his collegiate career.
Whiteaker was 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored while Dunworth was 3-for-5 with a career-high three RBIs and a run scored of his own.
Tommy Musuras, making his third start of the season, allowed three runs in six innings of work. He gave up six hits and walked one while striking out two batters.
Chris Arbuthnot,
Xavier Resto, and
Grady Cash combined to pitch the final 4 1/3 innings of the contest. Arbuthnot and Resto allowed one run each while Cash allowed two and was saddled with the loss after allowing the walk-off hit.
Looking ahead, Maryville kicks off conference play Friday afternoon with a doubleheader against Belhaven in Jackson, Mississippi. The Scots have a record of 8-9 as they head into league play. First pitch against the Blazers is scheduled for 3 p.m. Central.
