Maryville tops Panthers to avoid sweep of GSAC series
March 30, 2008

Maryville avoided a sweep of its GSAC weekend series by downing LaGrange 9-5 at Cleaveland Field on Sunday. The loss dropped the Panthers to 14-11 overall and 2-1 in conference play. The Fighting Scots upped their season record to 11-16 and 1-2 in GSAC play.

Maryville pushed across five runs in the top of the ninth inning to break a 4-4 tie. Pinch-runner Junior Valentine scored the go-ahead run as Zac Hargett reached on a fielder's choice. Bebo Vazquez's two-run double capped the inning for the Fighting Scots, giving them a 9-4 lead.

The Panthers came back in their half of the ninth inning. With one out, Seth Tucker and Patrick Langley had back-to-back base hits. Pinch-hitter Brandon Mahoney walked to load the bases. Tucker scored as Robbie Shelton reached on a fielder's choice to make it 9-5. The Panthers loaded the bases with two outs but Brenton Brown got the final out to clinch the win for Maryville.

Brown (1-0) went 2-1/3 innings to get the win. He allowed three runs and five hits. Matt Johnson started the game and went 6-2/3 innings. Johnson held the Panthers to five hits and two runs.

Maryville led 3-0 after four innings. The Panthers got two runs back in their half of the sixth inning. Shelton had a run-scoring double in the inning for the Panthers' first run of the game. Blake Allen's sacrifice fly scored Cory Matticola who had reached after being hit by a pitch.

Trailing 4-2, the Panthers tied the game in the bottom of the eighth inning. Allen's second sacrifice fly of the game scored Langley, who had led off the inning with a single to make it 4-3. Jimmy Statler tied the game with a hit through the right side, scoring pinch-runner Amauri Smith.

Jeff Tucker started the game for the Panthers. He allowed three runs in six innings of work. Tucker walked four and struck out six. Ben Hudson (1-2) took the loss for the Panthers. He allowed six runs, five earned in 2-1/3 innings. Eric Medlock got the final two outs in the ninth inning.

The Panthers outhit Maryville 10-9 in the game. Tucker, Langley and Michael Sims all had two hits. Shelton and Allen each had two RBIs.

The Panthers begin a stretch of 10 straight road games Tuesday at N.C. Wesleyan in the first of a two-game series.