Maryville starting pitcher Trevor Brackett threw a complete-game three-hitter to lead the host Scots to a 9-0 victory over the Covenant baseball team in USA South baseball action on Friday evening at Scotland Yard in Maryville.
Perry Rigby was the lone Covenant player to record a hit as he went 3-for-4 on the day. It is the third time this season that Covenant has been shutout.
The loss drops the Scots (21-12, 15-7 USA South) to second place in the USA South, only percentage points behind Ferrum, though Covenant has the fewest losses in league play. The Scots hold a one-game lead in the loss column over Ferrum and a two-game lead over Huntingdon, Methodist and Piedmont.
Brackett (5-1) scattered three hits and walked five with five strikeouts in his complete-game effort. Garrett Gresham went 4-for-5 to lead Maryville offensively, while Landon Talley finished 2-for-5 with three RBIs.
Maryville (15-17, 10-12 USA South) opened the scoring with seven runs on eight hits, all singles, in the second inning off Covenant starter Garrett Kriston. A Talley single brought in two runs to highlight the second inning. Maryville stretched the lead to 9-0 with two runs in the third inning and would hold on from there.
Kriston (6-2) suffers the loss as he allowed nine runs, eight earned, in four innings of work. Reliever Spencer Smith threw four scoreless innings and surrendered just two hits.
Games two and three of the series will take place on Saturday beginning at 1 p.m. Covenant returns home on Monday for a non-conference tilt with Tennessee Temple at 4 p.m.