ROCKY MOUNT, N.C. - The USA South Tournament championship series came down to a winner take all Game 3 on Monday at N.C. Wesleyan's Bauer Field. LaGrange (24-8) bounced back from a 7-6 loss in Game 2 to beat No. 14 N.C. Wesleyan (32-8) 9-4 for a conference record fourth straight tournament title and the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA Division III national tournament.
"I'm extremely proud of the guys, especially after losing the first game," Coach David Kelton said. "N.C. Wesleyan had a lot of momentum by winning that first game. Just for the guys to be able to rebound the way they did just shows the mentality of this team.
"(Michael) Menhart did a phenomenal job in Game 3. This shows how much these guys will grind and how mentally tough they are and that's what I'm more proud of than anything. N.C. Wesleyan has a great team and deserves an NCAA bid."
The championship was also special for four fifth-year seniors. E.J. Churchich, Spencer Douches, Trey Pearce, and J.R. Robinson returned in 2021 after COVID ended their 2020 season.
"It's been a long year since last March when we found out the season was canceled," said Douches, who threw two scoreless inning to close out the deciding game. "I knew I didn't want my career to end because of COVID. Myself and the other three decided to come back for our fifth-years.
"We've worked hard since August, doing senior led and fall practices. We started slow this year but have turned it on the last 20 games. We've accomplished what we came back for and that was four straight conference championships."
Churchich was named the tournament's Most Valuable Player. He hit .458 (11-for-24) with nine runs scored, four home runs, and 14 RBIs. He was joined by five other Panthers on the all-tournament team: Pearce (First Base), Rhett Hebert (Second Base), Cael Chatham (Shortstop), Jack Layrisson (Outfield), Baley Coleman (Pitcher).
Menhart (3-0) went a career-high 5-2/3 innings in Game 3. He was making his first start since May 1. Menhart allowed a run on four hits, walked four and struck out five.
Rhett Mixon led off the first inning of Game 3 with an infield hit. He moved up to second on a ground out and came around to score on Churchich's two-out single into center field for a 1-0 lead.
In the third, back-to-back RBI doubles by David Smigelski and Hebert put LC up 3-0. The Bishops got a run in the bottom of the inning. The Panthers pushed their lead back to three in the fourth. Chatham doubled to the fence in center field and later scored on Pearce's sacrifice fly to make it 4-1.
LC extended its lead to 7-1 in the seventh. The Panthers scored three runs in the inning on just two hits, taking advantage of four wild pitches by Bishop pitchers that plated to of the runs. Hebert had an RBI single in the inning.
The Bishops got within three in the bottom of the inning on Brad Pennington's three-run home run. The Panthers got a lead off home run by Pearce in the ninth and added a run-scoring single from Joe Ruth for a five-run cushion, 9-4.
Douches, working his second inning, walked Pennington to lead off the ninth. Jackson Hobbs lined out to Chatham, who doubled up Pennington at first for two quick outs. Zach Scott flied out to Layrisson to end the game, setting off the dogpile celebration.
The Bishops had stalled the celebration by taking the first game of the day 7-6. Churchich jump started LC with a two-run home run in the first. The Panthers led 5-1 after two innings on a two-run RBI single by Rhett Mixon. But the Bishops wiped out a 5-2 deficit with a five-run sixth inning and held on to force the deciding game. The loss ended the Panthers' record 15-game winning streak and 15-game tournament winning streak.
"I have no idea where we are going for the regional," said Kelton with a smile. "But I know we're going."
The Panthers will find out the destination for their fourth straight regional when the NCAA announces the rest of the tournament field.
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