Huntingdon uses big 5th inning to pull away from Maryville

MONTGOMERY, Ala. – The Huntingdon baseball team scored five runs in the fifth inning to open up a close game and spark a 9-1 win over Maryville on Friday night.

Leading 2-1 in the bottom of the fifth inning, the Hawks (4-0, 4-0 USA South) sent nine batters to the plate and scored five runs in the inning. Junior left fielder Alec Raley singled in two runs and later scored on a sacrifice fly by designated hitter Jordan Criswell.

Second baseman Mason Throneberry drove in third baseman Jordan Freeman to make it 6-1. Throneberry scored the Hawks' final run of the inning, scoring from third as right fielder Cheston Wesson stole second.

The Hawks added another run in both the sixth inning and the eighth inning.

Raley led Huntingdon with four RBIs and a run on a 2-for-5 night. Center fielder Patrick Kucera was 2-for-4 with three runs and led off the bottom of the first inning with a triple. Throneberry finished 2-for-4 with two runs and a RBI and Wesson was 2-for-4 with a RBI and two stolen bases.

Freeman finished with a RBI and a run and shortstop Landon Sessions scored two runs.

Junior Jackson Cruce (2-0) picked up his second win in as many outings, striking out seven, walking one, scattering eight hits and allowing one earned run in six innings. Junior Dalton Dalrymple picked up the save, striking out three, walking two and allowing two hits in the final three innings.

Huntingdon and Maryville (1-4, 0-4 USA South) return to Posey Field on Saturday at 3 p.m. for the second game of the three-game series.