By Joshua J. Darling, Sports Information Director
MARYVILLE, Tenn. – A pair of late inning comebacks would spell a doubleheader sweep as LaGrange (11-21, 5-9 CCS) dropped 4-2 and 5-4 decisions at Maryville (20-13, 10-4 CCS) in an NCAA Division III softball doubleheader on Tuesday, April 18.
GAME 1: MARYVILLE 4, LAGRANGE 2
The teams would be deadlocked in a pitcher's duel over the first three innings as they combined for just one hit, that being a bunt single by Cierra Hudson, who would then steal second before a pop out ended the threat.
Back-to-back singles by freshman outfielder Katelyn Minnihan (Stockbridge, Ga.) and junior second baseman Lindsey Swearngin (Tyrone, Ga.), followed by a two-out walk by Hefner, set the Panthers up but a pop up to short allowed the Scots to escape without any damage.
MU would then pay off that stand as Emily Hill led off the home half with a double to left and pinch runner Annie McCormick was sacrificed to third. A bunt single and steal by Jenica Brown then made it second and third. Following a pop up, Micayla Clark laced a two-out single through the right side to score both for a 2-0 lead.
It would be short-lived as LaGrange came right back in the fifth. With runners on second and third and two outs, Swearngin would come through with a clutch two-RBI double to right to knot it up at 2-2.
After combining for a lone single over the next inning, it would be Maryville that would come through in the bottom of the sixth. Brown would crack a one-out double to the left centerfield gap and Ava Whitmire followed with a single to the same spot to retake the lead.
The latter would advance to second on the throw and a bunt single by Annie Fowler made it first and third. Hudson followed with a ball back to the pitcher that turned into a fielder's choice that caught Whitmire at home before a single to center by Brecca Williams made it 4-2.
With runners on second and third, the Panthers escaped with a fly ball to left but the damage was done as a 1-2-3 top of the seventh sealed the two-run victory.
Clark would lead the Scots with a pair of RBIs off of her pinch hit single and Brown was 3-for-3 with a double, a pair of steals and two runs. Williams and Whitmire would add the other RBIs and Megan Ackerman went the distance in the circle. She struck out five and allied just two runs and six hits to improve to 9-9.
Swearngin led LaGrange with a 2-for-3 day that included a double and two RBIs and Minnihan was 2-for-4 with a run scored. Freshman Claire Chamberlain (Rome, Ga.) threw a complete game but allowed four earn runs against a pair of strikeouts to fall to 8-8.
GAME 2: MARYVILLE 5, LAGRANGE 4
The Panthers wasted no time in the nightcap as they jumped out to a 4-0 lead on two hits – one big one as freshman shortstop Kelsea Moody (Johns Creek, Ga.) belted a three-run homerun with one out. They would then load the bases with a pair of walks and a single before Sydney Rojo (Lawrenceville, Ga.) then walked to force home a run.
It would then stay that way until the sixth as the teams managed just five hits, four of them singles, over the next five innings. The sixth would change that as Sara Koonce singled to lead off the frame, Bailey Myers walked and Brown ripped a one-out triple to clear the bases and cut it to 4-2. Paige Dickinson would then drive her home on a fielder's choice to make it a one-run deficit.
LaGrange rallied in the top of the seventh as three singles loaded the bases with one out, giving them the opportunity to add on without benefit of a hit. They would not score that run as the Scots notched a strikeout and foul out and it would be a deciding factor.
In the bottom of the seventh Hudson dropped down a bunt and reached with Williams laying down a bunt behind her that went to second. She would then advance on a throwing error to put runners on second and third before Koonce laid down a sacrifice bunt to plate Hudson and tie the game. It wouldn't stay that way long as Myers came up and legged out an infield single to the pitcher to allow Williams to score and pull off the 5-4 victory.
Brown led Maryville with a triple and two RBIs while Koonce and Myers had an RBI and run apiece. Dickinson would deliver the only other RBI after starting and throwing just a third of an inning that saw her give up three runs. Following a third of an inning by Chloe Boyd, Kennedy Henry came in at the tail end of the first and threw 6.1 scoreless, five hit innings to pick up the win and move to 4-2.
Moody would anchor the Panthers' offense, going 2-for-3 with a homerun, run and three RBIs and freshman outfielder Abby Hefner (Talking Rock, Ga.) was 2-for-4. Rojo would have the other RBI and senior pitcher Abbey Gardner (Bainbridge, Ga.) threw six innings, allowing four earned runs to fall to 1-5.
UP NEXT
The Panthers close out the regular season on Friday, April 21 when they head to Macon, Georgia to take on Wesleyan. First pitch of Game 1 is set for 3 p.m. with Game 2 slated for approximately 5 p.m..
