Joseph Marvin: Assistant Sports Information Director
MARYVILLE, Tenn. – The Brevard College Tornados Baseball team (4-11, 0-7 USAS) fell in consecutive defeats in USA South Conference play on Sunday afternoon to the Maryville College Scots (9-6, 2-4 USAS) at Scotland Yard in Maryville, Tennessee.
The Tornados and Scots battled fiercely through the first game, with the Scots walking off in the 11th inning, claiming a slim 3-2 victory. Maryville used a four-run sixth inning in game two to propel itself to the doubleheader sweep over Brevard, taking a 7-1 victory in the back end of Sunday's twin bill.
GAME ONE
Making his first career start as a BC Tornado, sophomore RHP Ben Melton (0-1, 4.58 ERA) pitched a masterful outing against the Maryville Scots. Melton went seven and two-thirds innings, allowing just two earned runs on three hits, striking out four scots. Melton was given the no-decision after the Tornados made a late rally, tying the game up in the ninth inning, 2-2.
Despite a sluggish offensive start, Brevard put together a ninth-inning rally, sending the game to extra innings before ultimately falling in the 11th inning, 3-2, after Maryville's Eric Hart hit a pinch-hit, two-out RBI single, securing the Scots' walk-off win.
Ryan Roon tallied the Tornados' only multi-hit performance of the afternoon, going 2-for-5 with two singles. Jason Jucker added BC's lone extra-base hit with a double. Johnny Flynn and Brae Wooten drove in BC's two game-tying runs in the top of the ninth inning, as JJ Wilkes and Holden Lanier both came in to score.
Maryville enjoyed its own dominant performance on the mound, as Jordan Davis lasted eight and a third innings, with both of Brevard's runs being charged to his ledger.
Both sides were deadlocked until the eighth inning at 0-0, as both starters turned in impressive performances for their respective teams.
Maryville found its offensive touch first, driving in two go-ahead runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to take a 2-0 lead. With two outs, Jake Peterson hit an RBI double to right center field to score Maryville's first run of the game. This was followed up with a Peyton Sawyer RBI single, extending Maryville's advantage to two runs.
With one out in the ninth inning, the Tornados were able to load up the bases for Flynn, who reached on a fielding error to drive in BC's first run. On Brevard's very next at-bat, Wooten was walked with the bases loaded to tie the game, 2-2. Maryville reliever Samuel Joiner forced a ground ball double play to send the game to the bottom of the ninth. BC reliever Kyle Williams sat Maryville down 1-2-3, as game one was bound for extra innings.
Both teams were retired in order in the 10th inning. In the top of the 11th frame, Brevard fell in order, sending the Scots to the plate in the bottom half of the 11th inning.
Maryville brought a one-out single around to score, clinching a 3-2 victory in the first game of the afternoon.
GAME TWO
Kross Robinson (0-4, 7.17 ERA) got the start on the mound in the second game for Brevard, pitching five innings of two-hit ball, allowing three runs, one of which being earned. Robinson struck out four Scots.
Maryville's Christian Poulsen (2-1) earned the victory, pitching seven innings of one-run, five-hit ball, tallying two strikeouts.
BC freshman Jacob Bass drove in the Tornados' lone run, singling in Lanier in the top of the fifth inning.
Maryville opened the scoring early, plating one run in the second, third, and fourth innings before breaking the contest open in the sixth frame with four runs.
Maryville's 7-1 advantage was enough to hold off Brevard, as the Scots earned its first two USA South wins of 2019.
The two sides close out their conference series tomorrow at 2 p.m. at Scotland Yard in Maryville, Tennessee. Brevard will face Roger Williams University in neutral site action on Wednesday, March 13 at 6 p.m. in Lexington, S.C., before returning home for a three-game conference weekend series vs nationally-ranked Huntingdon College on March 15-17 at Gil Coan Field.
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