BREVARD, N.C. - The Brevard College baseball team (2-14, 1-8 USAS) fell by the hands of solid pitching and opportune offense from the visiting Maryville College Scots (12-5, 6-3 USAS), as the visitors earned the series sweep with an 11-3 final score on a sunny Sunday afternoon at Gil Coal Field.
JJ Wilkes hit an RBI-double late in the contest for Brevard, while Joc Pledger scored a run for the Tornados. Freshmen Zachary Allison and Brandin Johnson each drove in runs in the eighth inning, while Jason Jucker collected a pair of hits.
Kross Robinson (0-5) got the starting nod on the bump for BC, surrendering six earned runs and striking out four batters.
Maryville took the victory behind a strong pitching outing from Damian Lusby, who threw seven innings without allowing a run until the eighth frame. The right-hander surrendered a pair of runs on three hits, striking out two batters.
The Scots concluded a successful offensive series as three batters logged multi-hit performances on Sunday. Alden Wright led the way with three RBI's, while Will Hubbell hit his second home run of the series.
Maryville opened the scoring up by plating a pair of unearned runs in the first frame, followed by a two-RBI single in the top of the second inning that doubled its lead to a 4-0 margin. BC's Jack Atkinson reached second base in the home half of the second inning, but the Tornados were unable to cash him in. Donny Carsillo and Allison were on the corners with two outs in the bottom of the third inning, but a flyout ended the BC scoring opportunity.
MC used three runs on three hits in the top of the fourth frame to break the contest open, extending its lead, 7-0. A fifth-inning home run by the visitors chased Robinson out of the contest, as Matthew Scavotto came on in relief. The southpaw stopped the bleeding in the fifth frame, but not before the Scots pushed their advantage up to a 9-0 margin.
Maryville tagged the Tornado bullpen for one run in each of the seventh and eighth innings to grow its lead, 11-0, before Brevard used a three-run bottom of the eighth to get on the board. After a Pledger walk and a Jucker single, Allison reached on a fielder's choice and collected an RBI when the speedy Pledger rounded third and scored on the play. Wilkes then stepped up and doubled down the left-field line to score Allison, and Johnson drove in Wilkes on a groundout, making the score 11-3.
After Ryan Terte worked a scoreless inning in relief for BC, Maryville closed the door on the victory with a 1-2-3 ninth inning.
Brevard will face a quick turnaround, as the Tornados host a pair of contests over spring break at Brevard College. BC first hosts Hampden-Sydney College on Monday at 3 p.m. before playing the front end of a home-and-home series against Emory & Henry College at Gil Coan Field on Wednesday at 3 p.m.
To follow the latest news and updates surrounding Brevard College Athletics, follow the Tornados on Twitter and Instagram @bctornados, subscribe to 'Brevard College Tornados' on YouTube, follow 'Brevard College Tornados' on SoundCloud, and like Brevard College Athletics on Facebook. Be sure to follow "brevardcollege" on Flickr for the latest photos from all Brevard College events.
-BC-