EAST PEORIA, Ill. – The Maryville Saints stopped Drury threats down the stretch and hung on for a 4-2 win over the Panthers in Game 9 of the Great Lakes Valley Conference Tournament on Saturday at the EastSide Centre in East Peoria, Illinois.
 
Drury, seeded eighth in the tournament, ends their season with a 26-27 record. Maryville, the number four seed, advances with a 29-20 mark.
 
The Saints scored two runs in the second inning and added two more in the fourth to take a 4-0 lead.
 
The Panthers then got back in the game in the bottom of the fourth. Lauren Beier led off the inning with a single, then Sydney Sneed followed with a hit. Gracie Thomas drove in a run with a single to the rightfield line, and Drury pulled closer on an RBI single by Summer Johnson that scored pinch-runner Lily Hinson.
 
Maryville made a pitching change, turning to Chayse Ramey, who would retire the next three batters she faced to get out of the inning.
 
Drury mounted threats down the stretch, though. Camryn BeDell led off the fifth with a single, and Megan Mullaney hit a two-out triple in the sixth, but the Panthers could not produce a run in either inning. Down to their final out, Rylee Kolb reached base with a single to put the tying run at the plate, but Ramey would get a ground ball to end the game and Drury's season.
 
BeDell finished the game going 2 for 3 at the plate.
 
Maryville starter Emerson Heron (14-8) was awarded the win after going three innings and allowing five hits and two runs. Karsyn Smith (4-4) took the loss for Drury. Kristina Bettis pitched four scoreless innings of relief for the Panthers.
 
The Saints advance to Game 11 of the tournament on Saturday at 3 pm and will face sixth-seeded Lewis.
 
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