By Joshua J. Darling, Sports Information Director
LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN, Ga. – LaGrange (6-14, 0-2 CCS) came up just short in a comeback in the opener and found themselves down big early as they dropped 5-3 and 10-0 decisions at Covenant (8-9, 2-0 CCS) in an NCAA Division III softball doubleheader on Saturday, March 18.
GAME 1: COVENANT 5, LAGRANGE 3
After allowing a walk and then erasing them in the top of the first, the Scots would waste no time in getting on the board in the home half of the first inning. The Panthers would get the first two outs on a strikeout and flyout before Vanessa Davis singled to left and Olivia Stefl knocked a double and advanced to third on the throw to score her for a 1-0 lead. She would then cross home plate on a single to left by Taylor Murdock.
That 2-0 lead would last not even a half inning as LaGrange answered with two of their own, that coming when freshman outfielder Abby Hefner (Talking Rock, Ga.) got hit by a pitch and junior infielder Marley Smith (Smithfield, Ga.) proceeded to belt a ball that cleared the fence for a game-tying two-run homerun. They would then get a two-out single from freshman pitcher Claire Chamberlain (Rome, Ga.), who then stole second and freshman designated player Jaiden Gay (Guyton, Ga.) walked to put two on before a groundout ended the threat.
It would remain tied until the bottom of the fourth when Covenant plated three runs on two hits and a walk. Those hits came back-to-back and with runners on, however, with the first an RBI double by Helena Nagy, which was immediately followed by a two-run homer by Lauren Kay to make it a 5-2 game.
The clubs would then combine for just two hits over the next two innings, both by the Panthers, before LaGrange would threaten in the top of the seventh. Junior shortstop Lindsey Swearngin (Tyrone, Ga.) and freshman outfielder Katelyn Minnihan (Stockbridge, Ga.) came away with back-to-back singles to put runners on first and third.
Senior catcher Maggie White (Alabaster, Ala.) then reached on a fielder's choice to cut it to 5-3 and second baseman Kelsea Moody (Johns Creek, Ga.) walked to put two the tying run on. Hefner would strikeout but would reach first on a dropped third strike to load the bases before the Scots escaped with the late inning jam with a strikeout to seal the two-run victory.
Kay led the way for Covenant with two RBIs and a run scored on her homerun while Alexa Gonzalez was 2-for-4 with a double, RBI and run scored. Stefl added the same on a 1-for-3 day and Murdock went 2-for-3 with the other RBI. Jennifer Yeary went the distance in the circle for the Scots, allowing three earned runs, four walks and striking out six to pick up the victory.
Much like Kay, Smith anchored the offense for the Panthers as she went 2-for-4 with two RBIs and a run on a homerun while White had the other RBI on a fielder's choice. Minnihan went 3-for-4 with a double and Moody was 1-for-3 with a two-base knock to round out the offense. Chamberlain threw all six innings, surrendering five earned runs and just two walks against six strikeouts to fall to 5-5 on the year.
GAME 2: COVENANT 10, LAGRANGE 0 (5 Inn.)
The Scots put the nightcap out of reach almost immediately as they pounded out six runs on six hits and an error in the bottom of the first. Gonzalez got things started with a leadoff homerun and Murdock would deliver a two-RBI single while an error plated another run. A double by Isabella Duran and single by Nagy would then bring home two more before LC got a groundout to avoid any further damage.
A single by Makenna Dance in the second would make it a seven-run bulge before Gonzalez belted her second homer, this one a solo shot in the third for an 8-0 lead. Lakyn Hacker delivered an RBI single in the fourth, followed by a bases loaded walk by Gonzalez, to push to a 10-0 advantage – a margin they would close out in the top of the fifth with a 1-2-3 inning.
Gonzalez cranked a pair of solo homeruns for two RBIs as part of a 2-for-3 day that included a walk and pair of runs while Hacker was 1-for-3 with two RBIs and a pair of runs. Dance finished 2-for-3 with a run and RBI while Duran did the same with a double. Nagy rounded out the top offensive performers with a 2-for-3 day that included the other RBI. Jennifer Coates threw all five innings, scattering four hits to pick up the victory in the circle.
Leading the way for the Panthers was Smith with a 2-for-2 day while Swearngin and White had the other two hits on the day. Minnihan started and lasted just two thirds of an inning, allowing six runs, four earned, to take the loss and fall to 0-2.
UP NEXT
The Panthers are now off until Saturday, April 1 when they host No. 19 Belhaven in a doubleheader slated for 12 p.m. and 2 p.m., respectively.
