FERRUM, Va. - LaGrange and Ferrum split a USA South doubleheader Saturday. Ferrum (13-19, 9-7 USA South) took the first game 8-3, with the Panthers (22-14, 10-7 USA South) bouncing back with a 5-2 second game victory.
Game 1- Ferrum broke a 3-3 tie with a run in the sixth, then four more insurance runs in the seventh and went on to the 8-3 win. The Panthers took a 1-0 lead in the second on Rhett Hollon's sacrifice bunt, scoring Austin Jones, who led off the innng with a double. Trailing 3-1, LC evened the score with two runs in the sixth. Jack Layrisson drove in the first run with a double, then came around to score as McKinley Erves reached on an error. Layrrison had two of the Panthers' five hits in the game. Colin Barrett (5-4) took the loss for the Panthers. He went 5-2/3 innings, giving up four runs, but only two were earned. Barrett walked one and struck out six.
Game 2- The Panthers banged out 14 hits in the second game to get a split of the twinbill. Every starter in LC's lineup had at least one hit. McKinley Erves and Dawson Weaver each had three hits. Erves had an RBI double included in his hits. Jacob Gassert had two hits, including a run-scoring triple, and drove in a second run with a sacrifice fly. Starter Austin Fain raised his record to 5-2. Fain went 6-2/3 innings, allowing two runs on five hits, walking three and striking out two. Gibson Bittner went the final 2-1/3 innings to record his first save of the year.
The two teams finish the three-game series Saturday.
