The LaGrange baseball team lost a tough USA South doubleheader to Maryville on Saturday. The Scots won the first game 2-0 in a pitcher's duel, then took the second game 6-5 on a walk-off home run.
The Panthers (2-7, 2-6 USA South) were the visitors in both games. The series was originally scheduled to be played at Maryville but weather forced a change of venue.
Eric Morell (1-3) and Maryville's Seth Debity (2-2) locked up a pitcher's duel in the first game.
The game was scoreless until the sixth when the Scots pushed across both of their runs. Morell went eight innings, gave up five hits, walked two and struck out three. He had his 15 scoreless innings streak end.
Cain Sauls had three of the Panthers' five hits, including a double. He would finish the day 6-for-8 at the plate with two doubles and two RBIs.
Sauls' run scoring single gave the Panthers a 1-0 lead after three innings in the second game. He drove in the second run with a sacrifice fly in the fifth to score Ty Edwards, who led off the inning with a double.
The Scots (8-4, 7-4 USA South) tied the game with two runs off starter Zach Tatham in their half of the fifth.
Chris Laye got the lead back for the Panthers with a towering home run to left in the sixth. It was Laye's and the Panthers first home run of the season.
The Panthers added two more runs in the seventh to go up 5-2. Maryville tied the game at 5 with three runs in the eighth off Tatham and reliever Blake Schuck (0-2).
In the bottom of the ninth, Schuck got the lead out. But Sam Jokerst followed with a game-winning home run to left giving the Scots the 6-5 win.
The Panthers had 13 hits in the second game. In addition to Sauls, Jackson Patrick also had three hits.
The teams conclude their three-game series Sunday at 1 p.m.
