Spoofhounds roll in season opener
HENRY JANSSEN/DAILY FORUM
Maryville’s Trey Hoover slides safely around a tag from Savannah’s Braden Berry in the Spoofhounds’ season opener. Maryville won 8-1.
Maryville junior Cameron Staples’ first career varsity start was an impressive one.
He picked up the win in an 8-1 home victory against Savannah in Tuesday night’s season opener.
Savannah falls to 1-1 with the loss.
After allowing a base hit to the first batter of the game, Staples settled in, facing just 13 batters in four full innings. He allowed two of Savannah’s three hits and no walks, and struck out one.
“I tried pitching to contact and letting my defense do some work,” the righty said. “We probably have the best defense in the conference. I just wanted to make them make plays out there.”
In the fifth inning, Kendrick Calfee entered the game and Alex Bean closed.
The Spoofhounds got two runners across the plate in the first inning, and Savannah pitcher Blake McGinness was pulled after facing just six batters. McGinness nailed four batsmen and walked another.
Maryville broke things open in the third with a five-run inning. Ten Spoofhound batters appeared in the inning, and three of their five hits came in that third frame.
Spoofhound coach Monica Woods said that she was pleased with her team’s performance in its first official game of the 2017 season.
“Our pitching staff did a good job, and our defense did an excellent job,” Woods said. “We turned some double plays, and that’s good for us this early in the season. Behind the plate, Trey Hoover did a good job back there. Hitting, I thought we strung some things together. Obviously, they got into trouble early, but we were able to build upon the runs we got. They’re a good team and they’ll come back around, they’ll be a tough opponent when we meet again.”
All but three of the Spoofhounds’ runs were unearned. Hoover recorded a pair of runs batted in on a fifth-inning single, and Hunter Jewett recorded an RBI on a screaming comebacker in the same inning.
No Spoofhound had multiple hits, and Savannah committed six errors. The ‘Hounds had no fielding errors on the afternoon.
“We have a solid defense, so it’s easy to step up, relax, and pitch,” Woods said. “I saw a lot of things jell together a little better, I thought that would happen as we got along but I didn’t know how soon. We were talking and doing some really good things. Hopefully we’ll be right on track every game here.”
Maryville plays again Thursday when it hosts Lee’s Summit at 4:30 p.m.
HENRY JANSSEN/DAILY FORUM
After fielding a grounder cleanly, Maryville third baseman Alex Bean prepares to toss it over to first for the out. Bean finished the day 1-3 at the plate, and the ‘Hounds won 8-1.
HENRY JANSSEN/DAILY FORUM
Maryville junior righty Cameron Staples prepares to cut loose a pitch in Tuesday night’s victory over Savannah. Staples allowed no runs and just two hits in four innings of work.
HENRY JANSSEN/DAILY FORUM
Tyler Houchin of Maryville slaps a grounder to shortstop in Tuesday’s 8-1 victory against Savannah. The Spoofhounds play again Thursday when they host Lee’s Summit.
