LAGRANGE, Ga. – The LaGrange College baseball team split their two games against visiting Millikin University in non-conference action on Saturday at Cleaveland Field in Williamson Stadium in LaGrange, Georgia, winning 13-8 in game one before falling short 9-5 in game two.
THE BASICS
Game 1 - Score: Millikin 8, LaGrange 13
Game 2 - Score: Millikin 9, LaGrange 5
Records: Panthers 4-2 | Big Blue 2-1
GAME 1 – MILIKIN 8, LAGRANGE 13
- The Panthers wasted no time jumping on Big Blue, plating five in the bottom of the first of game one. LaGrange senior first baseman Colin Jones (Duluth, Ga.) drew a hit by pitch with the bases loaded to drive in the first run, while sophomore third baseman Erick Rodriguez (Lilburn, Ga.) hit a two-RBI single on the very next at bat to put LC up 3-0. An RBI base hit by senior catcher Carson Burgamy (Woodstock, Ga.) and a costly error gave the Panthers the 5-0 lead after one.
- In the bottom of the second, LaGrange would capitalize off a pair of costly errors to score three more runs with Burgamy and junior left fielder Ben Hollenbeck (Newnan, Ga.) picking up RBI singles as the Panthers took an 8-0 lead.
- Milikin rallied in the top of the third, plating five to cut the lead down to three, then adding one more in the top of the fourth to cut it down to two.
- LaGrange broke through again in the bottom of the fifth as freshman right fielder Matthew Brown (Marietta, Ga.) walked and later scored off an RBI fielder's choice from freshman second baseman Collin McGhee (Ball Ground, Ga.). Hollenbeck scored off an error on the very next at bat as the Panthers took a 10-6 lead.
- In the bottom of the sixth, Hollenbeck hit an RBI sacrifice fly to scored Rodriguez, putting the Panthers back up by five at 11-6.
- In the bottom of the seventh, Rodriguez drew a bases loaded walk to drive in senior centerfielder Jackson McElvy (Kennesaw, Ga.), making the score 12-6 in favor of the Panthers.
- In the bottom of the eighth, senior designated hitter Curt Bonner (Cartersville, Ga.) hit an RBI single through the left side as Hollenbeck scored for a 13-6 lead.
- Big Blue picked up two runs in the top of the ninth, but were unable to close the rest of the deficit as the Panthers picked up the win.
GAME 2 – MILIKIN 9, LAGRANGE 5
- Down 2-0 in the bottom of the second of game two, the Panthers got on the board with an RBI groundout by junior shortstop Michael DeFrancisco (Winder, Ga.).
- Down 3-1 in the bottom of the third, Rodriguez hit an RBI single to right to plate McElvy, pulling LaGrange back to within one.
- Down 9-2 in the bottom of the seventh, an RBI double by Jones gave the Panthers a new sense of life. Two batters later, an error on a groundout allowed Jones and Bonner to cross home plate.
- That was as far the Panthers could get, however, as they went scoreless in the final two innings.
- LaGrange junior pitcher Andrew Scott (Fayetteville, Ga.) pitched two shutout innings of relief, allowing no hits.
UP NEXT
- LaGrange is back on the field on Tuesday when they travel to Emory University for a 2:00 p.m. game.
For continuing coverage of LaGrange College Athletics, visit lagrangepanthers.com and follow the Panthers on Instagram ( @lagrange_panthers ), Twitter ( @lcpanthers ) and Facebook ( LaGrange Panthers ).
