By Joshua J. Darling, Sports Information Director
BEREA, Ky. – No. 2/9 LaGrange (13-5, 2-0 CCS) took the first two games of a three-game set at Berea (3-15, 0-2 CCS) as they notched 6-2 and 10-9 decisions, the latter in 10 innings, in NCAA Division III baseball action on Saturday, March 18.
GAME 1: NO. 2/9 LAGRANGE 6, BEREA 2
Following a scoreless first inning the teams would be on an even-odd plan when it came to scoring. Junior catcher David Smigelski (Canton, Ga.) would get things going in the second for the Panthers as he led off with a double and then came around to score on a one-out single by junior second baseman Adam Dorn (Canton, Ga.). He would then steal second and proceed to come around on a two-out single by senior outfielder Rhett Mixon (Loganville, Ga.) for a 2-0 lead.
It would then be the Mountaineer's turn in the bottom of the third as Kenneth Henderson laced a one-out double and Fredison Rivera followed with his own an out later to cut the deficit in half. LC would answer back in the fourth as a walk, single, error and steal put runners on second and third for Mixon. He would then plate his second run of the day, driving home Dorn to make it 3-1.
Back-to-back singles by Giovanni Ortiz and Henderson in the bottom of the fifth put Berea in position for a big inning – something that would go by the wayside with consecutive outs. Michael Vazquez then doubled home Ortiz to make it 3-2 but any further damage would be averted via strikeout.
That would be key as LaGrange came right back in the top of the sixth as freshman second baseman Jackson McElvy (Kennesaw, Ga.) reached on an error, swiped second and came home on a Mixon single. Three hit by pitches and a single then loaded the bases and brought home senior third baseman Joe Ruth (Chiefland, Fla.) for a 5-2 advantage.
From there they would break the trend of alternate inning scoring as the teams went scoreless over the next two and a half innings. That would change in the top of the ninth as the Panthers tacked on an insurance run when Dorn singled home junior first baseman Tray Owens (Franklin, Ga.) to reach the eventual final margin of 6-2. The Panthers would then lock that in as they allowed a ninth inning one-out walk before wrapping things up with two foul outs.
Berea would be led by Rivera with a 2-for-5 day that featured a pair of doubles and one of the team's two RBIs on the day while Vazquez had the other along with a double. Henderson went 2-for-3 with a walk and run and Peyton Hooper pitched 5.2 innings, allowing four earned runs and five walks to go with five strikeouts. He falls to 1-4 on the year.
Mixon delivered a strong outing, going 3-of-6 with a double and three RBIs and Dorn finished 2-for-3 with two walks, two RBIs and a pair of runs. Smigelski would have the other RBI, going 2-for-4 with a run scored and double and junior pitcher Ethan Fry (Kennesaw, Ga.) threw seven innings, ringing up 12 and allowing just two runs and a pair of walks. He moves to 4-1 on the season.
GAME 2: NO. 2/9 LAGRANGE 10, BEREA 9 (10 Inn.)
The nightcap would make the opener look like a veritable pitchers duel as the clubs combined for 19 runs and 24 hits – almost all of which came after the third inning.
With just two hits over the first three innings, what was to come over the fourth, fifth and sixth innings would be the polar opposite as the clubs scored 16 of those 19 runs. That offensive deluge would begin with a leadoff double by freshman catcher Curt Bonner (Cartersville, Ga.) that turned into a run on a groundout in the top of the fourth.
That would be immediately answered in the home half of the frame as the Mountaineers loaded the bases and Ortiz cleared two thirds with an infield single to make it 2-1. They would add to that significantly in the fifth as the first two batters reached and Jayden Junta sliced a triple to bring both home. He would then score on a Ricardo Sierra single to extend to a 5-1 margin.
The sixth would see the Panthers completely flip the script, however, as they pounded out six hits for seven runs to retake the lead at 8-5. Junior outfielder Noah Preuer (Peachtree City, Ga.) would turn bases loaded and no one out into three runs when he ripped a double for the big blow in the inning.
Undaunted, Berea answered right back in the bottom of the frame as Marcelo Manrique laced a two-RBI double and then came home on a double by Sierra to knot it up at 8-8 after six. It would stay that way until the top of the ninth as the teams managed just one hit, that a triple by Henderson that went to wase in the seventh.
The ninth would see LaGrange manage some two out magic as Smigelski singled and Bonner doubled him home for a 9-8 lead. It would not hold up, however, as a leadoff single by Zion Clay would turn into the tying run when Justin Brown singled home pinch runner Alejandro Avila with one out. Following an intentional walk, the Panthers would send the game to extra innings with a strikeout and flyout.
It would not stay deadlocked at 9-9 for long as three walks, a sacrifice and a steal would load the bases in the top of the 10th and junior outfielder Jorge Fragoso (East Point, Ga.) took advantage with a sacrifice fly to take back the lead. A fly out would end the inning but it would be enough as the BC managed just a two-out walk before succumbing to the 10-9 margin.
Sierra would lead the Mountaineers with a 3-for-6 day that included a double, two RBIs and a run scored and Manrique and Junta each went 1-for-5 with two runs, two RBIs and a walk. Manrique would punch a double and Junta a triple among their hits and Ortiz went 2-for-6 with two RBIs. Talon Yates would pitch one inning and allow the go-ahead run along with three walks to suffer the loss.
Preuer led LaGrange with three RBIs and Bonner went 2-for-4 with two doubles, an RBI and a run scored. Fragoso and junior first baseman Brooks Short each had a pair of RBIs and Smigelski went 2-for-5 to fuel the offense. Sophomore pitcher Ashton Shackleford (Ellerslie, Ga.) would throw 1.2 scoreless innings of relief, allowing just one hit and striking out three to pick up the win and move to 2-0.
UP NEXT
The Panthers wrap up the series against Berea with the finale at 12 p.m. on Sunday, March 19.
