MONTGOMERY, Ala. – Freshmen Abbey Gardner and Maggie White powered the LaGrange College softball team to a doubleheader sweep of USA South-rival Huntingdon on Monday, as the Panthers won the first game, 5-1, and then prevailed by a 3-0 margin during Game 2.
The Panthers (7-3, 2-0 USA South) have won five games in a row and seven of their last eight, while Huntingdon dropped to 6-8 overall and 0-2 in the USA South. During Game 1, Gardner (4-0) refused to allow any earned runs during a complete-game effort for the second time this season. Gardner's four wins are tied for the fifth most in the USA South.
White came through in a pinch-hitting role during Game 2, as she broke a scoreless tie in the sixth inning on the game-winning, two-run single.
Seniors Riley Densmore (4-for-7, RBI, run) and McKenzie Brunel (4-for-5, RBI) led the Panthers from an offensive perspective. Densmore sits in a tie for seventh in the USA South in RBIs (12) and ranks 11th in batting average (.484). The visitors held a 19-9 advantage in hits during the two games.
For the second-straight doubleheader, LaGrange's pitchers did not give up any earned runs, as sophomore Payton Thomas (2-3) threw a complete-game shutout in Game 2.
GAME 1 HIGHLIGHTS (LaGrange 5, Huntingdon 1):
- Senior Taylor Long led off the top of the first with a single up the middle, and then scored the first run on the game-winning, RBI single to right by Gardner three at-bats later. Sophomore Landon DeLamar gave the Panthers some breathing room in the first, plating junior Hailey Jones on a sacrifice fly to center for a 2-0 lead.
- The Hawks cut the deficit down to 2-1 in the bottom of the second, as Emily Nieuwstraten scored an unearned run on an RBI ground out to short by Michaela Denney.
- The Panthers added three insurance runs in the seventh. A one-out triple down the left-field line by junior Brittany Todd started the rally, and then during the ensuing at-bat, Jones extended LaGrange's advantage to 3-1 on a one-run single to right-center. The Panthers tallied two runs and took a 5-1 lead during a one-out, RBI single to right-center by Densmore. Jones crossed home plate on the play and junior pinch runner Natalie Glass scored an unearned run, taking advantage of an error by Huntingdon.
- Gardner retired 11-consecutive batters from the fourth to seventh inning. She relinquished four hits and her command of the strike zone was excellent, walking only one batter. Gardner has only allowed one earned run in 22 1/3 innings of work during her four wins. She has logged a team-high 29 2/3 innings in the circle, while maintaining the fourth-lowest ERA (1.18) in the USA South.
- LaGrange led the hits' category, 12-4, while each team made one error. Densmore (3-for-4, RBI) was the only player to record three hits, while Todd (2-for-4, triple, run), Gardner (2-for-4, RBI) and Brunel (2-for-3) finished with multi-hit efforts.
GAME 2 HIGHLIGHTS (LaGrange 3, Huntingdon 0):
- Hannah Vines and Denney began the bottom of the first with back-to-back singles, putting runners on first and second with no outs for Huntingdon. Thomas was able to get out of the jam, with help from her defense. Gardner recorded an unassisted double play on a line drive to first, and then Thomas forced McKayla Wilson to pop out to second.
- The game remained scoreless through five innings, and then the Panthers broke through with a four-hit, three-run sixth. Gardner and Densmore tallied singles and DeLamar drew a walk, loading the bases with one out. White connected on the game-winning, two-run single, as the hit bounced over the Hawks' middle infielders and went up the middle. The single was the third of White's career and it marked her first-collegiate, game-winning hit.
- White gave the Panthers a 3-0 cushion, scoring on a two-out, RBI single up the middle by Brunel. The run support was more than enough for Thomas, as she retired the side in order during the bottom of the sixth, keeping the momentum on LaGrange's side.
- Thomas has pitched complete-game shutouts in each of her last two appearances, as she blanked Judson, 8-0, in a six-inning win on Saturday. On Monday, Thomas allowed five hits and walked only one batter, while striking out two.
- Brunel reached base three times, going 2-for-2, with a walk. Jones showcased exceptional patience at the plate, drawing a pair of walks.
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