DANVILLE, Va. — Averett University baseball held off Maryville College 4-2 in Game 2 after losing the opener 6-0 to avoid a three-game sweep during Saturday's doubleheader with the Scots at Owen-Fulton Field. In the process, the Cougars notched long-time head coach Ed Fulton his 400th career victory.

"It's an honor to all the former and current Averett Cougars who have contributed along with the coaches that have been a part of our program," said Fulton, who is in his 21st season with the program. "It was nice to get win No. 400 with six freshmen in the lineup."

After slumping offensively through the first two games of the series, Averett (4-14, 1-5 USA South) got off to a solid start in Game 2 on Saturday. In the bottom of the first inning, junior Dallas Smithers and freshman Chase McKinney reached with a single and a walk, respectively. Junior Bradley Tickle put the Cougars on the scoreboard with an RBI single up the middle, and sophomore Tyler Fetherolf followed with a sacrifice fly to left to put Averett ahead 2-0. Freshman Cale Davis then crushed an RBI double to the gap in left-center for his first collegiate hit to extend the Cougars' advantage to 3-0.

Sophomore right-hander Matt Tuggle kept Maryville's offense scoreless until the seventh. With runners on first and third, Hayden Hollingsworth stole second, and the throw down sailed into center field, allowing Drew Johnson to score from third base.

Averett managed to get that run back in the eighth when McKinney scored from third on a wild pitch to push its lead to 4-1.

Maryville threatened in the top of the ninth, loading the bases with one out. Although the Scots got one run home on a fielder's choice, Tuggle induced a game-ending groundout to third base to give the Cougars their first conference victory.

Tuggle (2-2) went the distance, striking out seven while allowing two runs — one earned — over nine innings.

Averett and Maryville were locked into a pitchers' duel in Game 1 through the first seven innings. Averett senior left-hander Cody Johnson scattered five hits while striking seven during that span, while left-hander Evan Heffner no-hit the Cougars through the first 5 2/3 innings. However, Johnson ran into trouble in the eighth inning as he walked three of the first four batters that frame to load the bases. Maryville's Evan Ezell dropped down a perfect safety squeeze bunt down the first base line that scored one. Johnson tried to field the hit and toss home to prevent the runner from scoring, but the throw was wide and the error allowed a second run to score as Maryville went ahead 2-0.

The Scots added another run moments later on a second squeeze bunt, then made it 4-0 on Andrew Henry's RBI single through the left side. Maryville tacked on two more runs in the ninth to pull away and win the second game of the three-game series.

Averett returns to action on Wednesday when the Cougars travel to play non-conference foe Washington and Lee University at 3:30 p.m.