By Joshua J. Darling, Sports Information Director
LAGRANGE, Ga. – In a showdown of Top-10 programs, No. 2/10 LaGrange (14-5, 3-0 CCS) baseball will take on the best in the country when they host Birmingham-Southern (21-2, 5-1 SAA) in a midweek matchup under the lights on Wednesday, March 22. First pitch is set for 7 p.m. at Cleaveland Field in Williamson Stadium.
The Panthers come in having won six in a row, beginning with a 20-3 demolition of Westfield (3/11) and 7-1 win over Chicago (3/12) at the USA Baseball Complex in Millington, Tennessee. As part of a 4-0 road slate this past week they downed Oglethorpe (3/14) 8-2 and swept Berea (3/18-19) by scores of 6-2, 10-9 (10 Inn.) and 11-6.
BSC has earned their No. 1 ranking the way most teams do – the hard way. Among their 23 games have been seven against fellow nationally ranked programs and they have knocked off all but one of them, dropping the season opening series finale to Trinity of Texas (2/12). Their only other loss came to unranked and sub .500 Berry (3/19) by an 8-4 score before they rebounded with a 6-1 victory over No. 8 UW-Whitewater (3/20) in Pensacola, Florida.
SERIES HISTORY
LaGrange enters the game trailing 22-8 to Birmingham-Southern in an all-time series that dates back only to 2010. BSC won 12 straight from 2012 through 2018 but LaGrange won by an 8-2 score on March 23, 2022 before falling 9-5 to the then No. 4/4 ranked Panthers on February 18 in Birmingham.
MEDIA
Fans can follow all the action with live stats and live video as well as a full recap on www.LaGrangePanthers.com, the official online home of Panthers Athletics, following the final out.
Scouting The No. 2/10 LaGrange College Panthers
Record: 14-5, 3-0 CCS
Last Time Out: W, 11-6 at Berea on March 19
Streak: Six Wins
Quick Links
Baseball Home Page
Schedule
Roster
Statistics
Individual Batting Leaders
Batting Average: Rhett Mixon – .425
Slugging Percentage: Rhett Mixon – .658
Hits: Rhett Mixon – 31
Doubles: Joe Ruth – 10
Triples: Four Players – 1
Homeruns: Rhett Mixon, Joe Ruth, David Smigelski – 2
RBIs: Rhett Mixon – 27
Runs: Joe Ruth – 22
Steals: Jackson McElvy – 10
Individual Pitching Leaders
ERA: Eduardo Peralta – 0.47
Wins: Ethan Fry – 4
Opposing Batting Average: Ethan Fry – .165
Strikeouts: Ethan Fry – 49
Innings: Ethan Fry – 32.0
Team Batting Statistics
Batting Average: .317
Slugging Percentage: .450
Hits: 207
Doubles: 49
Triples: 4
Homeruns: 10
RBIs: 151
Runs: 173
Steals: 24 (24-of-29)
Team Pitching Statistics
ERA: 4.22
Opposing Batting Average: .233
Strikeouts: 210
Innings: 162.0
Scouting The No. 1/4 Birmingham Southern College Panthers
Record: 21-2, 5-1 SAA
Last Time Out: W, 6-1 at No. 8 UW-Whitewater on March 20
Streak: One Win
Quick Links
Baseball Home Page
Schedule
Roster
Statistics
Individual Batting Leaders
Batting Average: Cam McNearney – .340
Slugging Percentage: Ian Hancock – .574
Hits: Cam McNearney – 33
Doubles: Andrew Dutton – 8
Triples: Andrew Dutton – 2
Homeruns: Ian Hancock – 6
RBIs: Ian Hancock – 35
Runs: Andrew Dutton – 29
Steals: Will Lantis – 13
Individual Pitching Leaders
ERA: Hansen McCown – 1.48
Wins: Josh Leerssen, Joey White – 5
Opposing Batting Average: Hansen McCown – .157
Strikeouts: Josh Leerssen – 45
Innings: Josh Leerssen – 33.0
Team Batting Statistics
Batting Average: .304
Slugging Percentage: .465
Hits: 241
Doubles: 44
Triples: 9
Homeruns: 22
RBIs: 174
Runs: 210
Steals: 59 (59-of-66)
Team Pitching Statistics
ERA: 3.23
Opposing Batting Average: .228
Strikeouts: 217
Innings: 198.0
