MARYVILLE, Tenn. -- Behind a strong pitching performance from freshman Alhanon Miller in game one and timely hitting in the second game, the Covenant baseball team racked up two more victories on Tuesday evening as they bested Maryville 5-2 and 3-1.
The Scots now stand at 20-5 on the season and remain perfect on the road at 9-0. In addition, Covenant has won 13 of its last 15 games as they have lost just twice since March 8.
Maryville drops to 14-18.
Game One: Covenant 5, Maryville 2
Despite allowing two runs in the bottom of the first inning, Miller went all seven innings for the complete game victory as Covenant rallied for a 5-2 win.
Miller (5-0) gave up two runs, though one was unearned, on one hit in the first. The right-hander settled down after that as he retired 14 batters in a row at one point. Miller finished with five strikeouts, zero walks, and just two hits.
After falling behind 2-0 after two innings, the Covenant bats awoke in the third. Chris Rollins and Paul Phillips led off the inning with consecutive singles followed by an RBI base hit from David Murphy. K.C. Simons would tie the game on a sacrifice fly one batter later.
Covenant would take the lead for good in the fourth inning with two more runs. The Scots took advantage of two Maryville errors in the frame. Perry Rigby hit an RBI sacrifice fly and Rollins made it 4-2 with an RBI ground out.
Rigby would add an RBI single in the sixth inning to provide the final tally.
Will Cleland and Phillips each had two hits in the game. Every starter but one recorded a hit.
Maryville's Keylon Holloway (1-4) picks up the loss as he went four innings allowing three earned runs, four total, on six hits.
Game Two: Covenant 3, Maryville 1
More strong pitching from Covenant was key in the Scots' 3-1 victory in the second game as they completed the doubleheader sweep.
Alec Mitchell (5-1) started for the first time this season and surrendered only three hits and one run over five innings of work. Mitchell worked around five walks and struck out two. Jonah Paul came on in relief to throw the final two innings and notch his first career save. Paul struck out three and gave up one hit in his appearance.
Much like game one, Covenant fell behind early as Maryville got on the board first thanks to a Matt Jones RBI double to left field in the third inning.
Again, Covenant would respond. The Scots tied the game at 1-1 in the fourth inning when David Lockwood doubled home Cleland. In the fifth inning, Covenant would score twice more. Rigby led off with a double and scored when Rollins reached on a throwing error on a sacrifice bunt attempt. Phillips then came through with a double that plated Rollins to give Covenant a 3-1 lead.
Maryville would have a runner reach second base just twice after the fourth inning as the Covenant pitching staff held down the home team.
Covenant managed five hits in game two, two of which came from Rigby who was 2-for-3 with a run scored. Cleland, Lockwood, and Phillips each had one hit.
Garrett McDaniel (1-2) gets the loss for Maryville. McDaniel went four innings and allowed two earned runs on five hits.
Covenant will take its 20-5 record into this Friday's contest when they host Tennessee Temple at 4 p.m. The game was rescheduled from a rainout in February.
