MARYVILLE – For the second straight season, Maryville has advanced to the Collegiate Conference of the South Championship game.
The Scots defeated Belhaven 5-4 Saturday afternoon to advance to the big game for the second time in as many years. Head coach
Clint Helton recorded his 100th career win, becoming just the fifth baseball coach in MC history to reach triple-digit victories.
Xavier Resto picked up the win for Maryville on the mound, pitching a career-high five innings in relief. He allowed two runs on five hits and a walk while striking out five batters. The Sophomore improved to 5-1 on the season.
Maryville's first run of the game came on a sacrifice fly from
Daniel Montana, which tied the game 1-1 in the top of the fourth inning.
Ashton Whiteaker, who had singled earlier in the inning came around to score.
After the Blazers scored on a wild pitch in the bottom of the fourth,
Colin Dunworth evened it back up with a solo home run, his second long ball in as many games. Dunworth is now third on the Scots with five homers this season, behind
Zac Graham (8) and Whiteaker (6).
Maryville took the lead 4-2 in the fifth on a squeeze bunt from
Jimmy Meredith for his 34th RBI of the season and an RBI single from Whiteaker for his 35th run driven in.
Max Bowers capped off the scoring for MC in the seventh inning, scoring from the third on a wild pitch, just beating the tag in a bang-bang play at the plate.
Maryville's offense continued rolling on Day 3, picking up 11 hits and two walks. The Scots have now recorded two straight games of 10 or more hits.
Jacob Johnston, Whiteaker, Graham, Dunworth and Bowers all recorded two hits in the contest to lead the squad. Aside from Dunworth's deep shot, Meredith recorded the only other extra-base hit with a double in the top of the ninth.
Kyle Timko got the start for Maryville on the mound, holding the Blazers to two runs in four innings pitched, surrendering four hits and three walks while striking out four batters.
Maryville will face off against the winner of Saturday afternoon's Belhaven vs. LaGrange matchup for the CCS tournament championship. As the only undefeated team left in the tournament, The Scots will only need to win one game to take the title, while their opponent will have to defeat them twice.
First pitch is scheduled for 11 a.m. with Game 2 starting approximately 45 minutes after Game 1.
