LaGrange upset third-ranked Emory 4-2 in the first game of a doubleheader on Senior Day at the LaGrange College Softball Complex on Saturday. The Eagles (39-3) salvaged a split with the Panthers (20-20) with a 10-2 win in the second game.
Between games, seniors Kelbi Burgerning, Kayla Folds, Kayla Grizzle and Laura Webber were honored. Folds pitched the Panthers to the win in the first game.
Folds (13-7) pitched a complete game three-hitter against the Eagles. She walked only one and struck out seven.
Courtney Beshel went 3-for-3, including two doubles in the game. Webber had two hits, including the go-ahead two run double in the sixth inning.
Emory did all of its scoring and hitting in the first inning off Folds to go up 2-0. After the first, Folds retired 18 of the final 20 batters she faced, including the last 14 in a row.
The Panthers got a run back in the third inning to make it 2-1. Beshel's two-out single scored Kalin Oglesby, who had reached on an infield hit and moved into scoring on a sacrifice bunt by Dani Gravett.
Emory held on to the lead through five innings. The Panthers came up with a three-run rally in the sixth.
Beshel led off the inning with a double and moved over to third on Danielle Newbern sacrifice bunt. Christy Flick followed with an RBI single to score Beshel with the tying run. Folds helped herself with a single and Webber followed a with a double to the gap in left, scoring Flick and pinch-runner Sammy Murrah for a 4-2 lead.
Folds made the lead stand up. She retired the Eagles in order to finish the upset.
In the second game, the Panthers used four pitchers. Kara Patterson allowed five runs in pitching the first 3-2/3 innings. Amanda Stukel pitched 1-1/3 innings and was followed by Lindsey Hogan and Cheyenne Pruitt, who each pitched an inning.
The Panthers trailed 5-0 going to the bottom of the fourth inning. The Panthers loaded the bases with one out. Burgering drew a two-out walk to force in a run as Gravett scored. Newbern came home when Allison Coats was hit by a pitch.
The Eagles pulled away over the next three innings for the 10-2 final. Sydney Carpenter and Lena Brottman combined to hold the Panthers to a hit each by Gravett and Newbern.
The Panthers close the 2013 season Sunday with a doubleheader at Berry.
