LaGRANGE, Ga. – A timely double play pulled Maryville out of a bases-loaded, fifth-inning jam and the Scots held on from there to sweep a Collegiate Conference of the South twin bill at LaGrange on Friday.
The Scots prevailed 7-2 and 5-3, extending their winning streak to a season-best eight games.
Maryville led 4-3 in the nightcap when the host Panthers loaded the bases with one away on an error, a bunt single and a hit-by-pitch. But Scots lefthander
Mikayla Hoschak induced a grounder to third off the bat of LaGrange's Jenna Yeary, and Maryville's defense took it from there.
Scots third-sacker
Brecca Williams fielded the one-hopper and fired home for the force. Catcher
Sara Koonce then relayed the throw to
Emily Hill at first just in time to nab Yeary for the 5-2-3 twin-killing as the Scots bounced off the field.
Hoschak Stays Hot
Hoschak (2-3) retired the final seven LaGrange batters in order for her second consecutive victory. She pitched five shutout innings in relief, allowing just two hits, no walks and striking out three.
Over her last seven appearances covering 19 1/3 innings, Hoschak has allowed three earned runs on 10 hits, with three walks and 15 strikeouts for a 1.09 ERA. Her season ERA is down to 3.57.
Koonce's seventh home run of the season, a solo shot to left field, put the Scots in front 4-3 in the fourth. She would have driven in another run in the sixth had the Panthers not retired the speedy Williams at the plate on a perfect center-to-shortstop-to-catcher relay. Koonce scored two batters later when Hill grounded into a fielder's choice for the 5-3 lead.
Hill and
Micayla Clark delivered RBI-singles in the first inning of Game 2, and Williams added a run-scoring double in the second as the teams were tied 3-3 after two innings.
12-1 Hits Advantage
In the first game, Maryville outhit LaGrange 12-1 but needed a four-run seventh to salt it away. Holding a precarious 3-2 lead, the Scots strung four hits together highlighted by Koonce's two-RBI double.
Paige Dickinson added a run-scoring single and another run scored on an outfield throwing error.
Maryville tallied first when
Kaitlin Woodruff lined a two-run double in the second to cap a four-hit inning for the Scots.
Cierra Hudson made it 3-0 by herself in the fifth. She singled, stole second, stole third and then trotted home when the catcher's throw sailed into left field.
The Panthers made it a contest in the bottom of the fifth, pulling within 3-2 on Kenzie Hornsby's double to deep left center. It was the only LaGrange hit of the first game.
But
Megan Ackerman shut the door from there, retiring the final seven hitters in succession to improve her record to 14-3. It was her Division III-leading 14th complete game of the season – she is tied with Carla Mendoza of North Central (Minn.) – which is a personal best. She had 13 complete games last year and 12 as a sophomore.
Opponents are batting .197 against Ackerman.
Hill Leads Offensive Side
For Maryville in the doubleheader, Hill went 4-for-6 with a pair of RBIs and Dickinson was 4-for-8 with two runs scored and one driven in. Koonce finished 3-for-6 with four runs scored and three RBIs, highlighted by her solo homer. She added a double in Game 1 and stole two bases in Game 2. Williams was 3-for-8 with a run and an RBI. She stole a base in each game.
Hudson went 2-for-5 with a run scored and a pair of stolen bases, while Woodruff finished 2-for-6 with a run scored and two driven in on her Game 1 double. Clark posted 2-for-8 with an RBI.
Maryville's eighth win in a row bumps the Scots to 25-9 overall and 8-2 in the CCS. MC is tied for third in the league race with Piedmont, trailing Belhaven (11-1) and Huntingdon (5-1). Maryville is just two wins from matching last year's 27-15 final record.
The Scots are in action Tuesday in a 2 p.m. home doubleheader against Covenant, which is 3-19 overall and 0-6 in the CCS. Covenant plays Saturday at home against Huntingdon in a twin bill.
