By Joshua J. Darling, Sports Information Director
MONTGOMERY, Ala. – No. 6 Seed LaGrange (13-22, 7-9 CCS) could not get the offense going and fell behind early in an 8-0 loss to No. 3 Seed Maryville (25-13, 12-4 CCS) in Collegiate Conference of the South First Round action and an NCAA Division III softball game on Thursday, April 27.
Freshman designated player Katelyn Minnihan (Stockbridge, Ga.) led off with a single to left and that would be it for the Panthers. Over the next four-plus innings they would manage just a hit by pitch and a batter reaching on an error as the Scots took control early.
That would begin with a pair of runs in the first as Jenica Brown ripped a double to right before igniting a three-run third with a one-out RBI single. Ava Whitmire then plated two more with a double to center to stretch to a 5-0 advantage. The fourth would see them tack on two more with a two RBI single from Emily Hill and Kaitlin Woodruff ended it early with a RBI single to right in the bottom of the fifth for the 8-0 victory.
Brown led MU with three RBIs as part of a 2-for-3, one-run day while Whitmire was 2-for-3 with a double, run and two RBIs. Woodruff accounted for the other RBI and Megan Ackerman threw a five-inning shutout, striking out three and allowing just one hit to improve to 12-9.
Minnihan would have the lone hit for the Panthers and freshman pitcher Claire Chamberlain (Rome, Ga.), in an anomaly, allowed five earned runs with no strikeouts and six hits in 2.2 innings. She falls to 10-9 on the year.
UP NEXT
The Panthers are right back in action tomorrow, Friday, April 28 when they take on No. 7 Seed Agnes Scott in an elimination game. First pitch is slated for 2 p.m. with a win putting them into a second game against the loser of No. 2 Seed Huntingdon and No. 3 Seed Maryville at 4 p.m.
