LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN, Ga. – Big Offense and a strong bullpen were the keys for Maryville as it won both games of a doubleheader and completed the series sweep of rival Covenant Saturday afternoon.
Maryville (20-11, 10-1 CCS) exploded with the bats in Game 1 of the twin bill, picking up 12 hits and scoring 17 runs en route to a decisive 17-5 victory. Game 2 was much closer, with MC battling back late and scoring the winning run in the top of the ninth to pick up a 6-5 win in the nightcap.
MC entered the eighth inning of Game 2 down 5-2 before scoring three runs to tie it up and then one more in the ninth to secure the sweep and its 20th win of the season. The Scots have now won 20 games or more in three straight years, going 22-16 in 2022 and 26-17 in 2023.
In the top of the eighth,
Daniel Montana reached base via error, advancing to second on the wild throw. He came around to score just one batter later as
Reece Jordan drove him in with an RBI single to right-center field. With two outs in the inning,
Max Bowers recorded a single and advanced to second on the throw as Jordan took third base.
With runners on second and third, a balk brought Jordan home and
Zach Devries drove in Bowers for the tying run with a single to right field.
While he may have kicked off the rally in the eighth, Montana also completed the comeback with an RBI single to put the Scots ahead 6-5.
Carter Crow scored the winning run, entering the game as a pinch runner.
Montana extended his on-base streak to 12 games, going 3-for-9 with three RBIs and two runs scored on Saturday.
After Covenant (14-23, 5-10 CCS) scored five in the first five innings, the Maryville bullpen locked it down for the final four innings. The trio of
Austin Suttle,
Chris Arbuthnot, and
Xavier Resto combined to pitch the final four innings, allowing no runs on just four hits while striking out one batter. Arbuthnot picked up his team-high fourth win while Resto recorded his fourth save of the season.
Game 1 was a slugfest for Maryville, as it scored five or more runs in three separate innings, led by a six-run fourth. Maryville walked six times and recorded three extra-base hits in the contest.
Zach Devries and
Zac Graham both homered in the contest. In Game 1 Graham went 2-for-4 with four RBIs and three runs scored.
Graham is now tied with
Ashton Whiteaker for the team lead in long balls, with five. Over his last seven games, he is batting .548 (17-for-31) with three home runs, a triple, four doubles, 16 RBI, and nine runs scored.
All nine starters scored a run in Game 1 and six of those nine scored multiple runs. Eight of nine starters recorded a hit in the contest with four picking up multiple knocks. Aside from Graham, Montana,
Jimmy Meredith, and
Christian Carlton were the other three MC hitters with multi-hit performances in Game 1.
Carlton was the only Scot to record multiple hits in both games, going 2-for-4 in Game 2.
Jacob Johnston joined Carlton with a 2-for-5 performance in the nightcap.
Nic Mirabella recorded the win for Maryville in Game 1, allowing five runs on six hits while striking out five in 4 2/3 innings. He improved to 3-2 on the season.
Clark Langley made his Collegiate debut in the contest, pitching 2 1/3 scoreless innings to finish out the run-rule shortened contest. He allowed one hit while striking out two batters.
Maryville has a few days off before returning to action in a midweek contest against Mount St. Joseph at Midland Field in Batavia, Ohio. First pitch is scheduled for 5 p.m.
