LaGrange salvaged a split of a doubleheader with a 6-2 second game win over Roanoke (2-1) on Sunday in Cleaveland Field at Williamson Stadium. It was the first win of 2020 for LC (1-2) after dropping Game 1 4-3.
Game 2
LC jumped on Roanoke starter Aiden Kuhle for four runs in the first inning. Rhett Mixon led off with a bunt single and took second on a throwing error on the play. McKinley Erves, Joe Ruth, and Jack Layrisson had back-to-back-to back RBI doubles to drive in the first three runs. Layrisson scored on Judd Moore's ground out for a 4-0 lead.
In the third, the Panthers added to their lead. Layrisson went the other way for one out double down the left field line. Moore drove in Layrisson with a two-out single to right to make 5-0.
Panther starter J.R. Robinson held the Maroons in check for five innings. He was helped by an inning-ending double play in the fourth, then a spectacular double play in the fifth. Josh Dawson led off the inning with a single. Joe Kitlas followed with a sinking line drive to right center. McKinley Erves made a diving catch, threw to Rhett Hebert; who in turn threw to Layrisson at first to double up Dawson, who had already rounded second base.
Roanoke chased Robinson in the sixth. The Maroons, aided by an LC error, pushed across a run and loaded the bases with none out. Baley Coleman relieved Robinson and tagged out Hunter Andrews trying to score from third when the ball got past catcher Jared Alridge. After a run scoring single, Coleman got Dawson to ground into an inning ending double play to end the threat. The Panthers finished the game with four double plays.
Coleman threw four shutout innings to pick up the save. He allowed three hits, did not walk a batter, and struck out three. Robinson (1-0) got the win going five innings, allowing the two runs, only one was earned. He scattered seven hits, walked one and struck out three.
LC closed out its scoring with a run in the eighth. Moore's sacrifice fly scored Ruth, who led off the inning with a single, to up the Panthers' lead to 6-2.
Layrisson, Mixon, Moore, and Ruth all had two hits. Moore had his three RBIs to go with his two hits.
Game 1
E.J. Churchich staked LC to a 3-0 lead in the first inning. Erves led off the inning with a single and Ruth walked with one out. With two outs, Churchich went deep over the left field fence for his second home run in as many days.
Freshman Dalton Brooks started for the Panthers. He threw four shutout innings before allowing the first two batters on in the fifth. The Maroons pushed across two runs off reliever Tanner Chafin to make it a one-run game.
Roanoke tied the game in the seventh with the help of two LC errors in the inning. In the eighth, the Maroons got the go-ahead run off Spencer Douches (0-1) on Connor Butler's sacrifice fly. Ken Ledford pitched around a walk to Mixon in the ninth to pick up his second straight save.
The Panthers finished with five hits. Churchich's home run was the only extra base hit.
The Panthers play at Oglethorpe on Tuesday at 7 p.m. They return to Cleaveland Field at Williamson Stadium next Saturday with a doubleheader against Birmingham-Southern.