MARYVILLE, Tenn. - The baseball team dropped their season opener at Maryville on Friday afternoon despite only allowing three earned runs. Jaxen Gibson matched Maryville's starting pitcher for five innings, only allowing one run on three hits with three strikeouts.

The Panthers jumped ahead 1-0 in the top of the second when Tanner Gerdes reached safely on an error, stole second, and scored on Dustin Sutton's single to the pitcher.

Maryville tied the game in the bottom of the fifth and scored twice in the sixth to go on top 3-1. Maryville later added four runs in the bottom of the eighth.

The Panthers scored once in the top of the ninth after back-to-back singles by Rhett Pennington and Garrett Schmitz. Drew Frey advanced Pennington to third base on a fielder's choice, and George Schneider drove in Pennington on an error by pitcher.

Landon Mokris was a force at the plate, posting a 3-for-5 afternoon. Logan Garrick went 2-for-4.

Luke Fleener relieved Gibson with three innings of work, allowing six runs, two earned, on five hits with four strikeouts.

The Panthers (0-1) will continue their trip with a doubleheader at Maryville on Saturday at 12 p.m. Central time.