David Kelton picked up his first head coaching win as LaGrange got its first win of the season, dowing Bates 9-2 on Thursday at Cleaveland Field in Williamson Stadium.
The Panthers (1-4) never trailed and banged out 14 hits in keeping the Bobcats (0-5) winless on the season. Jake Hipple had three hits, including a double, to lead the team.
Casey Bell, Chad Pigg, Jim Reed and Keith Sims all had two hits. Bell and Pigg each had a double as did James Maxwell. Sims had three stolen bases as the Panthers finished the game with six.
The Panthers jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first inning. Cain Sauls drove in the first two runs of the game with a single. Sauls later scored as Pigg grounded out to the shortstop.
Leading 3-1, the Panther tacked on three more runs in the fourth. Bell's infield hit scored Sims, who had opened the inning with an infield hit of his own. Bell came all the way around to score from first when Pigg doubled to right center field. Pigg later scored as Terrinoni legged out an infield hit to make it 6-1.
The Panthers added a run in each of the fifth, sixth and seventh innings. Maxwell's bases-loaded walk in the fifth forced in a run. Hipple's squeeze bunt drove in Reed in the sixth, while Pigg came home in the seventh on a wild pitch to close out the scoring.
Zach Tatham (1-0) pitched five innings to get the win. He gave up two runs, walked five and struck out three.
Daniel Garrett closed out the game with four scoreless innings of relief pitching to earn a save. He allowed three hits and struck out two.
The two teams will meet in a doubleheader Saturday beginning at 2 p.m.
