Posted: Mar 08, 2020
LaGrange swept Huntingdon 6-3 and 10-3 in a USA South doubleheader on Sunday at Cleaveland Field in Williamson Stadium. The sweep enabled the Panthers (11-5, 5-1 USA South) to take the weekend series from the Hawks (8-6, 4-5 USA South).
Game 1
- The Panthers, shut out on Saturday on two hits, ended a 13-inning scoreless string with three runs off Wallace Henry (1-3) in the third inning. Dawson Weaver and Rhett Mixon reached on one out hits. McKinley Erves' single drove in Weaver with the first run. Mixon scored on Joe Ruth's ground out to make it 2-0. Jack Layrisson's RBI single brought home Erves with the final run of the inning.
- LC upped its lead to 4-0 in the fourth. Cael Chatham singled with one out and later scored on Erves' infield hit. The Hawks came back with two runs in the fifth and another in the sixth off starter Dalton Brooks (2-1) to make it 4-3.
- In the seventh, the Hawks put runners on first and third with one out. Cal Fuller, who got the final two outs in the sixth, got Tri Overby to ground into an inning ending double play.
- Spencer Douches replaced Fuller in the eighth. The Hawks loaded the bases with one out. Douches escaped the jam with a strikeout of pinch-hitter Danny Coleman and getting Colton Clark to ground out to Ruth at second.
- The Panthers picked up two insurance runs in the bottom of the inning. Weaver reached on a one out single and came all the way around to score on Rhett Mixon's double to left center. Ruth drove in Mixon with a two-out single to put the Panthers up 6-3 going to the ninth.
- Douches set down the Hawks in order in the ninth, striking out the first two batters. He earned his first save of the season.
Game 2
- Huntingdon took a 1-0 lead in the first inning off Baley Coleman (2-0). The Panthers came right back with two runs in their half of the first off Brooks Freeman (2-2). Mixon led off with a bunt single and scored on Erves' double down the right field line. Ruth followed with an RBI single to drive in Erves for a 2-1 lead.
- The Hawks tied the score in the fifth, only to have the Panthers answer in the bottom of the inning. The Panthers pushed across the go-ahead run with out benefit of a hit. Erves reached on an error to lead off the innning. The Panthers loaded the bases with two outs. Erves came home on a passed ball to put LC back up 3-2.
- The Panthers broke open the game with a five-run sixth inning. Ruth had a two-run single and Layrisson a sacrifice fly in the inning. LC closed out the scoring with two runs in the seventh, both with two outs. Ruth drove in the first run with an RBI double and came around to score on single by Layrisson.
By the Numbers
- The Panthers did not commit an error in the second game. Huntingdon did not commit an error in the first two games, but had five in the final game.
- LC won its 10th straight USA South series going back to last season.
- The Panthers had 12 hits in each game.
- The Panthers were a perfect 4-for-4 in stolen bases. They were just 9-for-20 coming into the day.
Panther Standouts
- Ruth was 5-for-11 with a double and six RBIs in the two games. He entered the day with 10 RBIs on the season.
- Erves was 5-for-10 with a double and three RBIs.
- Layrisson was 4-for-8 with three RBIs.
- Brooks pitched 5-1/3 innings in the first game. He allowed the three runs, two were earned. Brooks walked one and struck out five.
- Coleman went six innings in the second game. He gave up the two runs, walked one, and struck out two.
- Douches struck out four in his two innings of work in Game 1.
- Tanner Chafin had two scoreless innings in relief in the second game.
- Weaver had three putouts and seven assists at shortstop in Game 2. Ruth had three putouts and six assists at second base in Game 1.
Up Next
The Panthers host Emory on Tuesday in a non-conference game Tuesday.
