LAGRANGE, Ga. – The LaGrange College baseball team split their Saturday double-header against visiting Oglethorpe University in non-conference action at Cleaveland Field in Williamson Stadium in LaGrange, Georgia, losing a 7-6 heart-breaker in game one before rallying with a 16-1 victory in a rain-shortened game two. The Panthers run their overall record to 10-6 on the season.
GAME 1 – OGLETHORPE 7, LAGRANGE 6
- The Panthers wasted little time getting on the board in game one as senior first baseman Curt Bonner (Cartersville, Ga.) hit an RBI double to left in the bottom of the first to drive in freshman second baseman Collin McGhee (Ball Ground, Ga.), as LaGrange took a 1-0 lead.
- The LC lineup busted out in the bottom of the third as they loaded the bases with no outs. It was Bonner picking up the RBI, this time with a walk to score freshman centerfielder Brax Carson (Douglas, Ga.) to put the Panthers ahead 2-0. On the very next at-bat, McGhee scored from third on a throwing error to increase the lead to three. Freshman designated hitter Ben Edge (Newnan, Ga.) then stepped to the plate an ripped a two-RBI double down the right field line, plating Bonner and senior shortstop Jackson McElvy (Kennesaw, Ga.), Two batters later, freshman right fielder Matthew Brown (Marietta, Ga.) had an RBI groundout to score junior catcher Nicholas Ford (Canton, Ga.). The Petrels would eventually escape the inning, but not before the Panthers increased their lead to 6-0.
- The Petrels got on the board in top of the fourth, as Oglethorpe junior third baseman Evan Smallwood (Hoover, Ala.) hit a solo shot home run to left to cut the score to 6-1.
- In the top of the seventh, the Petrels loaded the bases with one out when Oglethorpe senior centerfielder Drew Jabaley (Dunwoody, Ga.) drew a bases-loaded walk. Smallwood was hit by a pitch on the next at bat and junior shortstop Jace Armstrong (Rome, Ga.) had an RBI sacrifice fly to cut the lead to 6-4 before the Panthers could close out the frame.
- Oglethorpe would tie it up in the top of the eighth when sophomore catcher Ryan Causey (Forsyth, Ga.) came to the plate with one on and two outs and blasted a shot over the centerfield wall. Three batters later, Smallwood hit an RBI single up the middle to give the Petrels their first lead of the game, 7-6.
- The Panthers, still down one in the bottom of the ninth, put a runner on with one out, but Oglethorpe senior pitcher Tyler Hower (Suwanee, Ga.) shut the door on that effort, picking up his first win of the season.
- LaGrange senior pitcher Trystin Merson (Dallas, Ga.), fresh off a school-record 17 strikeout performance last week, had another fine outing go for naught as he allowed just one earned run in six innings, striking out seven and allowing just five hits.
- Edge finished three-for-four with a double, a walk and two RBI.
GAME 2 – OGLETHORPE 1, LAGRANGE 16 (5 innings)
- The Panthers got another fast start in the bottom of the first of game two with the Petrels letting the door open with a throwing error with two outs and a runner on. This allowed McElvy to come around and score as well as prolonging the inning. What followed was back-to-back-back-to-back RBI base hits by the LaGrange lineup as Edge, Jones, freshman right fielder Tanner Morneau (Marietta, Ga.) and graduate leftfielder Jorge Fragoso (East Point, Ga.) each drove in a run as the Panthers went up 5-0.
- LaGrange would never look back, posting four in the second and seven in the third innings to pull away.
- The game was called due to heavy rain in the sixth inning. The result and statistics count as five innings had been completed.
- Jones exploded with six RBI, going three-for-four with three runs scored, a home run and two doubles.
- Edge went three-for-four with a double, three runs scored and two runs batted in.
- Fragosa went three-for-three with two RBIs and a triple.
- LaGrange freshman pitcher Aiden Pluff (Richmond Hill, Ga.) allowed just one earned run while striking out seven in five innings.
UP NEXT
- LaGrange is back on the field on Tuesday when they travel to Berry College for a 6:00 p.m. game.
- Oglethorpe plays their next game at Huntingdon College on Tuesday at 4:00 p.m.
For continuing coverage of LaGrange College Athletics, visit lagrangepanthers.com and follow the Panthers on Instagram ( @lagrange_panthers ), Twitter ( @lcpanthers ) and Facebook ( LaGrange Panthers ).
