Lopez Four Hits in Wild Affair; Scots Now 6-0

ROME, Ga. – Maryville and Berry played a wild one in Georgia on Tuesday afternoon. Really wild.

But that didn't slow down the Scots. They kept their winning ways on track.

MC survived 8-6 in 10 innings to improve to 6-0 on the young season. The Scots pounded out 15 hits and improved the team batting average to .344. Maryville through six games is averaging 9.0 runs.

Gabriel Lopez, Zac Graham and Hunter Thaxton were the big sticks Tuesday, combining to go 10-for-14 with a homer, six runs scored and seven RBIs. Christian Carlton with a sacrifice fly in the first accounted for the other run driven in.

"Coach Drew Henry had a good plan and when we stuck to that plan and didn't try to do too much, it showed," Scots head coach Clint Helton said. "Especially Gabe, Graham and Thaxton. What doesn't show in the box score is that Jimmy Meredith hit lasers in three of his five at bats and finished 1-for-5.

"They are just sticking to their approach and it's working out."

Runs Scored in Nine of 10 Innings

This game was up and down from start to finish. There were runs scored in nine of the 10 innings – the sixth being the lone exception -- but there was never an inning when both teams scored.

Maryville led 1-0, trailed 2-1, led 3-2, tied 3-3, led 4-3 and then 6-3, only to have Berry tie it 6-6 by scoring twice in the eighth and once in the ninth. The Scots plated their winning runs in the 10th, but only after the first two hitters were retired and MC responded with four consecutive hits.

Meredith finally broke through with a single to left, and Ashton Whiteaker followed with a soft single to right that pushed Meredith to third. Thaxton singled up the middle to score Meredith, and Lopez followed with a double down the left field line for the insurance tally.

"You get one guy on, a punch-and-judy shot to right and all of a sudden things are happening," Helton said. "We just wanted to get as many runs there as we could."

Those runs made a winner out of Nic Mirabella, who allowed a tough-luck run in the ninth but went 1 and 2/3 innings for his first victory. Brandon Schlabach allowed a walk but then induced a soft liner for the final out to earn the save.

"It was a midweek game and we ran a lot of guys out there who made some big pitches in some big moments," Helton said. "The energy of the game was big and they kept their composure."

Just Two Earned Runs Allowed

Maryville pitchers allowed just two earned runs out of the six total scored by Berry as the Scots committed three errors.

"That happens sometimes," Helton said. "That's part of the game. Not the ideal day in the field but we held it together when we needed to."

Lopez finished 4-for-5 with three doubles, three runs scored and the 10th-inning RBI. Thaxton was 3-for-4 with his second home run of the season. He scored three runs and drove in two. Graham finished 3-for-5 with two doubles and four driven in. He's up to 17 RBIs on the young season.

Before the 10th inning, Maryville's six runs had been scored entirely by Lopez (three) and Thaxton (three).

For Berry, now 2-2, Zachary Hardee, Nick Brunswick and Andrew Pendleton contributed two hits apiece.

The Scots are home for their next seven scheduled games, including a return trip from Berry on March 7. Before that, Hanover visits this weekend for a three-game set and then Bob Jones for three more the weekend after.