Covenant swept a USA South doubleheader from LaGrange on Friday at the LC Softball Complex. It was the first conference doubleheader for the Panthers, who are 4-15 now.
Covenant (11-8, 2-0 USA South) used a big inning in each game to top the Panthers. The Scots had a four-run fifth inning in Game 1 to erase a two-run deficit. In Game 2, the Scots erupted for seven runs in the first inning and held off the Panthers' comeback.
The Panthers grabbed a 2-0 lead in the first inning of Game 1. Maggie White singled, stole second, and went to third on Lindsey Swearngin's base hit. Swearngin moved up to second with a steal to put runners at second and third. Lindsey Green brought home both runners with a double to the gap in right.
The Panthers held the lead until the fifth. Covenant took advantage of four Panther errors to score four unearned runs in the inning off Abbey Gardner (3-7). The Scots added an insurance run in the seventh for the 5-2 final. Gardner went the distance in the circle, surrendering just one earned run, scattered 10 hits, did not walk a batter, and struck out three.
LC had seven hits in the game. Swearngin, Gardner, and Karli Whitaker had two hits each.
Covenant's big Game 2 first inning was capped by Makenna Dance's grand slam. LC came right back in its half of the inning with four runs.
With two outs and no one on, Green singled and Kenzie Hornsby walked. Gardner followed with a line drive to right center for a double, as Green and Hornsby scored. Kaitlyn Redman reached on an error to keep the inning going as Gardner took third on the play. Redman stole second and an error on the play allowed Gardner to score. Landon DeLamar doubled down the left field line, scoring Redman and making 7-4.
The Panthers made it a one-run game in the third. Hornsby led off the inning with her first home run of the season. With two outs, DeLamar had her second double of the game and came in on Reagan Gunter's base hit to make it 7-6.
The Scots pushed across two runs in the fourth to go up 9-6. In the sixth, White's RBI double scored Whitaker, who had walked with two outs to get LC within two, 9-7. The Panthers put two runners on in the seventh but were unable to score as the Scots completed the sweep.
DeLamar's two doubles led LC's eight-hit attack. Gardner had three hits in the two games, scored a run, and had the two RBIs.
The Panthers host Brevard in a USA South doubleheader Saturday beginning at 12 p.m.
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