JACKSON, Miss. - LaGrange opened its 2022 season with a 10-3 win over host Millsaps on Friday at the Millsaps Baseball Classic.
The Panthers pounded out 15 hits against the Millsaps (2-2) pitching. McKinley Erves had two hits, including a home run, scored four runs, and had three RBIs. Joe Ruth had three hits and drove in two runs, while Jack Layrisson had a pair of hits and three RBIs.
Baley Coleman (1-0) the first of five LC pitchers, pitched the first 3-2/3 innings to get the win. He allowed a run on two hits, walked two, and struck out four. The Panthers' pitching allowed only five hits, two earned runs, and struck out 11.
Erves gave the Panthers a quick lead in the top of the first inning. With one out, Erves went deep over the center field wall for a 1-0 lead. Layrisson added a two-out RBI single to make it 2-0.
LC tacked on three more runs in the second. Erves drove in the first run with a ground out as Matt Eden scored. Ruth followed with a two-run single to plate Rhett Hebert and Adam Dorn.
The Panthers made it 8-0 in the fourth. They started the inning with four straight hits. Erves and Cael Chatham had RBI hits, while Layrisson's sacrifice fly capped the inning.
Erves scored his fourth run of the game on a wild pitch in the sixth to make it 9-1. Layrisson closed out LC's scoring in the eighth with a single for his third RBI.
The Panthers continue play in the tournament Saturday against Rhodes at 12 p.m.
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