The Daily Times

The luck of the Irish didn’t favor of the Scots in a series-deciding game against North Carolina Wesleyan on a beautiful St. Patrick’s Day at Scotland Yard. More disruptive than lucky charms however, the pitching of Hatteras Brooks didn’t favor the Maryville College bats. Brooks picked up the complete game victory, allowing four hits as the Battling Bishops took a 10-1 win to stay one game ahead of the Scots in the USA South standings.

“Today wasn’t our day,” MC manager Paul Henry told The Daily Times. “Everything we hit hard, we hit at somebody and they didn’t help us. They didn’t boot the ball around.”

It wasn’t until NCW posted six runs in the top of the ninth that the conclusion became foregone. Scots starter Chris Sutherland pitched into the eighth, allowing just three earned runs to keep his squad within striking distance.

Maryville put its leadoff hitters on in both the sixth and seventh innings while trailing 3-0, but a pair of double plays silenced the advances with just a solitary run by Landon Talley scoring during the stretch.

“We hit some balls hard right at people,” Henry said. “And when you’re going well and getting runs, usually those balls are falling.”

Maryville made its most noise offensively in the bottom of the ninth when it loaded the bases after Nick Dean and Talley led off with singles, but it was the Bishops half of the ninth that put the game away.

NCW batted around against a combination of three different MC relievers, racking up six runs on a pair of hits, an error, and four free passes from the Scots pitching staff.

“It was a good game, 4-1 into the ninth,” Henry said. “But we were not very good today and hats off, their pitcher threw a good game and we were not sharp, not crisp and we did not play well.”

Brooks struck out nine Scots and held them hitless during innings two through six.

Maryville underwent similar struggles against NCW in the first game of a doubleheader on Saturday when it scored just one run against Bishops starter Will Beasley in 8.2 innings.

Sandwiched in between the two games was an 11-4 MC victory that featured a trio of three-run innings.

But the offensive fireworks were nowhere to be found on Sunday.

“No excuses, he was throwing where the umpire was calling it, and we didn’t do anything about it,” Henry said of his team’s performance against Brooks. “We did a poor job of making adjustments at the plate offensively, and he was mixing pitches well and keeping the ball away from us, so hats off.”

Sutherland didn’t walk any of the 33 NCW batters he faced, but unlike in his start against Ferrum College last Sunday, he didn’t get enough run support.

“I’m happy with him,” Henry said. “I wish we would’ve swung it a little better and given him a chance, but that’s what I expect out of Chris every time he steps on the mound.”

Maryville returns to Scotland Yard for a 5 p.m. first pitch against Centre College Tuesday.

“We’re on spring break so guys should have plenty of time to get focused on baseball things and get prepared,” Henry said. “We weren’t very good today and overall on the weekend, we were average to below average and hopefully against Centre we’ll be able to sort some things out.”

NORTH CAROLINA WESLEYAN 10, MARYVILLE COLLEGE 1

NC 001 020 016 – 10 14 1

MC 000 000 100 – 1 4 2

WP: Hatteras Brooks (3-2). LP: Chris Sutherland (3-2).

2B: NC (Alexander, Williams). LOB: NCW 13, MC 7. Time 2:30. Att: 120.