Huntingdon sweeps doubleheader, takes series from Maryville

MARYVILLE, Tenn. – The Huntingdon baseball team bounced back with a doubleheader sweep of Maryville on Saturday.

The Hawks won the first game 8-4 and took the second game 5-0 to win the USA South Athletic Conference series. Maryville won the first game of the series 7-3 on Friday night.

Huntingdon (17-11, 7-5 USA South) built a 3-0 lead early in Game 1 before scoring five runs in the final three innings to close the first win. In Game 2, sophomore Jared Gonzalez (4-3) pitched a complete-game, striking out five, hitting one batter and scattering six hits in the shutout. Gonzalez held Maryville (19-9, 9-6 USA South) hitless in four innings and allowed multiple hits in just one inning.

Zach McGrady (4-3) picked up the win in Game 1, striking out three, walking one, hitting four batters and allowing five hits and three runs in eight innings.

Patrick Kucera was 4-for-8 with four runs, two RBIs and two stolen bases in the doubleheader. Kucera, who was tied for the Division III lead in runs scored at the start of the week, now has 39 runs this season.

Kucera was 2-for-3 with three runs in Game 1 and Anthony Spivey and Jordan Criswell each had home runs. Spivey hit a two-run homer in the first inning and Criswell had a solo homer in the ninth inning.

Spivey finished with two RBIs and a run in Game 1 and Criswell had two hits, two RBIs and two runs. Landon Sessions had two hits and a run. Mason Throneberry drove in two runs and Alec Raley and Josh Hines each had an RBI. Coleson Taylor scored one run.

In Game 2, the Hawks took a 2-0 lead in the first inning on RBIs by Criswell and Cheston Wesson. A sacrifice bunt by Hines and a two-run double by Kucera made it 5-0 in the fourth inning.

Kucera was the only Hawk with multiple hits in Game 2, finishing with two hits, two RBIs and a run. Raley, Throneberry, Sessions, and Josh Jackson each scored one run.

Huntingdon plays at Oglethorpe on Tuesday at 5 p.m. Central.