LaGrange completed a three-game sweep of Albion with a 12-7 win Tuesday at Cleaveland Field. It was the fifth straight win for the Panthers, now 10-4. The Britons are 0-3 after the loss.
The Panthers had 13 hits in the game. Kevin McCrary had three hits, including a double, and two RBI. Matt Hvizdzak, Craig Mobley and Robbie Shelton all had two hits. Hvizdzak and Shelton each had a double.
Neal Smith (3-1) pitched 5-2/3 innings to pick up the win. Smith gave up six hits, three runs, walked five and struck out six. He gave up an unearned run in the first inning and walked three in the first two innings.
Ryan Bergman got the final out in the sixth inning and pitched a scoreless seventh inning. Noel Thomas and J.J. Martone allowed four runs in the eighth; only one of the runs were earned. Kenneth Strack got the final four outs of the game to close out the win.
The Panthers broke a 1-1 tie in the third inning. The Panthers scored five runs in the third and three more in the fourth to open up 9-1 lead. The Panthers needed only three hits in the third inning, taking advantage of a Briton error.
The Panthers added a run in the fifth inning and two more in the sixth to go up 12-3. Albion closed the gap with four runs in the seventh to make it 12-7.
The Panthers host Hampden-Sydney on Wednesday at 6 p.m. weather permitting. The Panthers finish their home stand this weekend against Arcadia on Saturday and Wooster on Sunday.
