Alison Jiles had four hits, while Kara Patterson had two scoreless relief appearances as LaGrange split a USA South doubleheader with William Peace on Sunday at the LaGrange College Softball Complex.
The Pacers (5-9, 1-3 USA South) held off a last inning rally by the Panthers (10-2, 3-1 USA South) to win the first game 5-4. The Panthers bounced back to take the second game 3-1.
Dani Gravett (3-2) started the first game and went five innings. She allowed five runs, only four were earned; while walking four and striking out two. Patterson allowed a hit in two scoreless innings.
Trailing 5-1 heading to the bottom of the seventh, the Panthers put together a rally. Jordan Conner led off the inning with a single. Pinch-hitter Abbey Stuckey reached on an error, allowing pinch-runner Lindsey Hogan to score to make it 5-2.
The Panthers loaded the bases with one out. Jiles drove in two more runs with a double down the left field line to get the Panthers within one, 5-4. But reliever Aaryn Deal got the final two outs to end the threat and the game.
In the second game, the Pacers got a first inning run off starter Olivia Wolfe (4-0). Wolfe allowed only one more hit in four innings of work. She walked three and struck out four.
The Panthers got the run back in their half of the first. Kalin Oglesby beat out an infield hit and later scored as Brooke Turner reached on a two-out error to tie the game 1-1.
In the fourth, the Panthers broke the tie with the help of two Pacer errors in the inning. The rally started with two outs and nobody on. The Panthers loaded the bases on an error, a walk and an infield hit.
Jiles found a hole in the right side to score Keeley Murray. Jordan Conner also scored on the play with the aid of a throwing error to up the Panthers' lead to 3-1.
Patters pitched three scoreless innings to earn her second save in as many days. She pitched around a two-out triple in the seventh inning.
The Panthers are on the road Saturday at Mary Baldwin and Sunday at Ferrum in USA South doubleheaders.
