LaGrange split a non-conference doubleheader with Wesleyan on Thursday night at the LC Softball Complex. The Wolves (8-3) took Game 1 13-6 in eight innings and the Panthers (3-10) took Game 2 6-4.
The Panthers came from behind twice and took advantage of five Wesleyan errors to take Game 2. The Wolves took a 1-0 lead in the first inning. Sabrina Bowen walked with one out, then moved over to third base on a stolen base and wild pitch. Centerfielder Karli Whitaker reached over the fence to take away a home run from Bailey Caldwell as Bowen scored on the play.
LC tied the game in the third. Lindsey Green and Parker Floyd had back-to-back hits with two outs. Both runners moved up on a passed ball and Green came home on a wild pitch.
Wesleyan retook the lead with a run in the fifth. Whitaker and Landon DeLamar both scored on wild pitches to put LC up 3-2.
The Wolves tied the game on Tihana Zupanic's solo home run in the top of the sixth. The Panthers answered with three runs in the bottom of the inning to break the tie. Swearngin scored on an error for the first run of the inning. Reagan Gunter scored as DeLamar grounded out to second and Maggie White's RBI single up the middle made it a 6-3 game.
Wesleyan was able to pick up a run before Abbey Gardner got the final out. Gardner (3-4) pitched the final three innings to get the win, allowing two runs. Faith Burgamy started the game and went four innings, surrendering two runs.
Macy Harris pitched into the sixth inning of Game 1 with a no-hitter. The Panthers had taken a 3-0 lead in the first inning. Gunter and Swearngin had RBI singles in the inning. DeLamar forced in the third run with a bases-loaded walk.
Wesleyan pushed across two runs in the top of the sixth to make it a one-run game. The Panthers came back with three runs in the bottom of the inning to go up 6-2. After Swearngin scored on an error, Green followed with a two-run double to cap the inning.
But Wesleyan rallied in the seventh with four runs to force extra innings. In the eighth, the Wolves broke the game open with seven runs to win the game going away. Swearngin (0-5) took the loss in relief of Harris.
The Panthers host Meredith on Saturday in a doubleheader beginning at 12 p.m.
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