The Berry College Vikings defeated the Maryville College Scots 7-1 on Saturday, advancing on to the third round of the NCAA D-III Atlanta Regional, behind a seven strikeout complete game performance from pitcher Kassie Howard, her 24th win of the season.

Maryville pitcher Katlyn Smith gave up six runs, only two of them earned, in only her second loss on the year.

Smith struggled to find the zone in the top of the first inning, giving up three walks and a single before allowing the game’s first run on a walk to Elisabeth Federici. Shelby Daniel’s sacrifice fly to deep left field was enough to score Kylie Aiken from third, putting Berry up 2-0. After striking out Brooke Whittemore, Katlin Seger worked a walk to load the bases before the inning ended on a scary moment when Federici, standing at second base,  was hit in the head by a rocket line drive off the bat of Kayla Sangrey. Federici was able to return to the game.

Smith settled in after her rocky start, putting up goose eggs in her next three innings of work while allowing just one hit. Berry threatened in the top of the fourth, but Genna Telschow flied out to right with two outs and a runner in scoring position.

The Vikings were able to put the Scots away in the top half of fifth when, with two outs, Smith gave up two bases loaded walks before Sangry’s single to right plated two more runs, putting Berry up 6-0. Casey Joliff replaced Smith on the circle and induced a fly ball out to end the inning.

Maryville broke into the scoring column in the bottom of the fifth when Morgan Brewer lined a base hit up the left side to score Alexus Murray. But Howard was able to limit the damage, striking out Essence Strambler with the bases loaded to end the frame.

Berry added some insurance in the top of the seventh with a sacrifice fly by Sangrey, her third RBI of the game, to make it 7-1.