MARYVILLE, Tenn. - Maryville built a large lead and held on for an 11-9 win over No. 20 LaGrange on Friday night. The loss snapped the six-game winning streak for the Panthers (19-7, 11-4 USA South).

Maryville (15-11, 5-6 USA South) built a 8-0 lead through four innings. The Scots were aided by three LC errors, leading to four unearned runs. The Panthers came back with four runs in the top of the fifth to cut the deficit in half. Joe Ruth singled in the first run of the inning and E.J. Churchich followed with a three-run home run to make it 8-4. The home run was Churchich's third of the season, tying him for the team lead.

The Panthers trailed 11-5 after six innings. LC got a run in the seventh when Dawson Weaver was hit by pitch with the bases loaded. The Scots got out of the jam with an inning-ending double play. In the eighth, the Panthers scored three times to close within two. Trey Pearce had an RBI double, Churchich scored on a wild pitch, and Chris West had a pinch-hit run-scoring single. LC put two runners on in the ninth before the Scots recorded the final out.

J.R. Robinson (3-3) started and took the loss. Robinson allowed eight runs, four earned in three innings. Coston Anderson gave up two runs in 1-2/3 innings; Anthony Elias followed Anderson and was touched for a run in 1-1/3 innings. Austin Brown threw two scoreless innings.

LC had 15 hits in the game. Ruth finished with three hits, including a triple, scored twice and had two RBIs. Jack Layrisson also had three hits. Layrisson is batting .611 over the last five games to raise his batting average from .179 to .284. 

The two team conclude their weekend series Saturday with a doubleheader.