MARYVILLE – For the second game in as many days, Maryville defeated Huntingdon in walk-off fashion, this time on a three-run home run off the bat of
Zac Graham for a 6-3 final score.
In the bottom of the ninth inning,
Zach Devries led off the frame with a single after working a full count. He moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by
Jacob Johnston. With one out in the inning, the Hawks (14-10, 5-3 CCS) intentionally walked
Jimmy Meredith to put runners on first and second.
Game 1 hero
Ashton Whiteaker stepped up to the plate and nearly ended it himself for the second straight game, driving a ball deep to left-center field that was caught by the left fielder. With two outs, Graham wasted no time, driving the first pitch he saw deep over the left-center field fence to win the game.
"Those games are fun and exciting," Maryville head coach
Clint Helton said. "You know, you wish you weren't in that position, but we will take it. The pitchers threw great. They minimized big innings. The defense was fantastic.
"Obviously, Graham gets the big knock, but the at-bat by Devries is what got us to that point. Being locked in and focusing on process over result, and then you get the big inning at the end."
Maryville led 3-1 for the majority of the game before Huntingdon scored one run apiece in the eighth and ninth innings to tie the game and force the Scots to walk it off.
The Scots (13-11, 3-1 CCS) pitchers and defense did a great job at minimizing damage in the contest. The Hawks picked up 13 hits and reached base 10 more times via walks and hit-by-pitches, but they left a season-high 16 runners on base.
The Scots worked their way out of bases-loaded jams twice in the game, with
Bryce Einstein and
Brandon Schlabach both inheriting loaded bases in the fifth and eighth innings, respectively.
Einstein entered in relief of starting pitcher
Nic Mirabella, and with just one out in the inning, induced a 6-4-3 double play to get out of the inning unscathed. The senior pitched 3 1/3 innings, allowing just one run on one hit.
Schlabach came on with two outs and bases loaded in the eighth inning, walking one run home before working his way out of the jam and stranding three runners on base. He picked up his second win of the season after working 1 1/3 innings allowing one run on two hits.
Mirabella struck out a season-high six batters in 4 1/3 innings to start the game, scattering 10 hits while allowing one run.
"We got out of a lot of jams," Helton said. "We executed pitches just well enough. They were hitting Nic, but he was able to minimize. Now we just want to come out and get another one Sunday."
Maryville picked up 11 hits of their own in the game, led by two apiece from
Daniel Montana, Meredith, Whiteaker, and Graham.
The trio of
Max Bowers,
Colin Dunworth, and Devries rounded out the knocks for MC picking up one each.
The Scots have secured the series win and head into Sunday looking for a sweep of CCS-rival Huntingdon at Scotland Yard. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m.
