LaGrange dropped its USA South opener Friday night, losing 5-2 to Covenant at Cleaveland Field in Williamson Stadium. The Panthers' third straight loss left them 8-7 overall. The Scots improved to 15-6 with their sixth straight win.

Baley Coleman (2-3) had a career-high 12 strikeouts in a losing effort. Coleman pitched into the seventh, allowing all five runs. Jack Richards finished the seventh and Tanner Chafin had two scoreless innings. The three pitchers combined for 16 strikeouts in the game.

The Panthers picked up an unearned run in the first. Cael Chatham led off with a single and took second on an error on the play. Chatham moved over to third on McKinley Erves' fly out and scored when Joe Ruth flew out to right for a 1-0 lead.

Covenant tied the game 1-1 with a run in the second. The Panthers retook the lead in the third inning. Rhett Hebert started the inning with a base hit and Chatham walked. Hebert went to third on a wild pitch and came home on Ruth's second sacrifice fly to make it 2-1.

Coleman held the Scots in check through six innings. With one out in the seventh, he surrendered a hit and a walk. Lewis Saunders followed with his third home run of the season to put Covenant up 4-2. The Scots added another run in the inning for a 5-2 lead.

Adam Carver (3-3) pitched eight innings to get the win. Carver scattered six hits, walked three, and struck out six. Kenny Mills closed out the ninth for his third save of the year. 

The Panthers had seven hits in the game. Hebert and E.J. Churchich had two hits each.

The two team will play a doubleheader Saturday beginning at 1 p.m.