LaGRANGE, Ga. - Covenant held on for a 10-9 over LaGrange in the first game of a CCS weekend series Friday night at Cleaveland Field in Williamson Stadium. The loss was the first in conference play for the Panthers, now 11-9 overall and 3-1 in the CCS. The Scots improved to 11-7 overall and evened their conference record at 2-2.

The Panthers had three run leads twice in the game only to have the Scots battle back. LC carried a 7-5 lead into the eighth inning. Covenant took advantage of a costly error, two walks and a hit batsman, then got a bases-clearing three-run double from Zeke Gilbert and an RBI double from Daniel Bell to take a 10-7 lead.

LaGrange got a run back in the bottom of the eighth. Jorge Fragoso's sacrifice fly scored David Smigelski, who had led off the inning with a single. In the ninth, Curt Bonner doubled to left field to lead off the inning. One out later, Adam Dorn singled to right center to drive in Bonner to make it 10-9. Dorn moved over to third on two stolen bases, but was stranded as Jake Schock retired the next two batters to end the game.

Bonner and Dorn each had four hits as the Panthers finished with 16 in the game. Bonner had a solo home run in the fourth inning included in his four hits. It was Bonner's second home run of the season. Dorn had two doubles and reached base five times.

Benjamin Epperly (0-1) took the loss in relief of Josiah Chiesa. Epperly gave up three unearned runs in the Scots' five-run eighth inning. Chiesa pitched 6-2/3 innings, allowing five runs and seven hits. Caden Hare finished the eighth inning and was charged with two unearned runs. Connell White pitched a scoreless ninth inning. 

Up Next: The two teams conclude their weekend series with a doubleheader Saturday. Game 1 starts at 2 p.m. followed by the second game.