LaGrange did all of its scoring in a three-run eighth inning to beat Piedmont 3-1 in a USA South game Thursday night in Williamson Stadium at Cleaveland Field.

The Panthers snapped a four-game losing streak with the win. They improved to 10-9 in the conference and 12-13 overall. The Lions slipped to 14-13 overall and 11-8 in the conference.

Drew Williamson pitched seven strong innings as the starter for the Panthers. He gave up a run on five hits, walked three and struck out eight.

Kenneth Strack (4-2) closed out the game with two scoreless innings of relief. Strack surrendered two hits, walked one and struck out four.

The Lions broke up a pitching duel between their own Keith Caldwell (3-4) and Williamson with a run in the sixth inning. Josh Bailey led off with a double and came around to score on Logan Pethel's single.

The Panthers, who had left the bases loaded in the fifth inning, loaded them again in the eighth. Jim Reed reached on a one-out single to deep short. Brent Kinsey and Kyle Nerbonne followed with base hits to load the bases.

Cody Muren coaxed a walk from Caldwell to force in Reed with the tying run. Jacob Brewster relieved Caldwell and struck out Jon Brock for the second out. Keith Sims' ground ball to second was booted, allowing Kinsey and pinch-runner James Hall to come around with the go-ahead runs.

In the Piedmont ninth inning, Breck Davidson doubled off Strack with one out. But Strack struck out the final two batters to strike out the side in the inning and end the game.

The Panthers finished with eight hits, led by Brock who had three. Josh Shiver had the Panthers only extra base hit with a lead-off double in the first inning.

The two teams play at 4 p.m on Friday. They close out the series Saturday with a 2 p.m. start.