ST. LOUIS – Maryville baseball opened the series with the Southwest Baptist Bearcats with a 5-3 win behind eight-strong innings of work by Braden Smith. 

Smith was not alone in the highlights, with Nick Daugherty hitting his first-career home run in the sixth inning. 
 

Griffin King picked up a big save, stranding the bases loaded in the ninth inning. 

HOW IT HAPPENED
The Saints and Bearcats traded runs in the second, with the Saints taking the lead in the third of a RBI groundout by Camden Ruby. 

Smith continued to cook with the lead, as he held the Bearcats scoreless for the next three frames. The bottom the sixth saw a leadoff triple by Jace Burton, with Aaris Stolte's sacrifice fly making it 3-1. Daugherty's big fly came in the next at bat, leaving it 4-1. 

Dominic Sharp added on another run in the bottom of the eighth, to give Smith a 5-1 lead as he exited the game. 

The Saints worked into and out of trouble into the top of the ninth as King came into the game with the bases loaded. He grabbed two massive strikeouts to close it out for his second save. 

UP NEXT
The Saints and Bearcats battle in the doubleheader tomorrow at 1 & 4 p.m.