Panthers win USA South series

Published 9:40 pm Monday, March 4, 2019

By KEVIN ECKLEBERRY

Daily News

It was a winning weekend for LaGrange College’s baseball team.

After splitting a doubleheader with visiting Berea on Saturday, LaGrange College won the series with an 8-0 victory on Sunday.

The Panthers (9-4 overall) improved to 4-1 in the USA South.

Sunday’s game started at 10 a.m. in what was a successful effort to finish before another rain storm moved in.

A trio of LaGrange College pitchers combined for the shutout on Sunday.

Austin Fain started and pitched five innings, and he worked around five hits to hold Berea scoreless.

Matthew Becker and Coston Anderson each pitched two scoreless innings, and they limited to Berea to one hit.

Joe Ruth had two of the Panthers’ 12 hits, and he had two RBIs.

Liam Moreno had two hits and an RBI, and Dawson Weaver had a hit and two RBIs.

Cael Chatham drove in a run, and Braden Shealy, Trey Pearce, EJ Churchich, Austin McDade and Jack Layrisson each had hits.

The Panthers busted out for five runs in the second inning, and they added three more runs in the bottom of the fourth.

LaGrange began the series with a dominant 15-3 victory on Saturday.

Leading 4-0, the Panthers put it away by exploding for 10 runs in the fifth inning, and the game ended after seven innings because of the run rule.

Joe Ruth had two hits and three RBIs, EJ Churchich had two hits and two RBIs, and Rhett Hollon had two hits with one RBI.

Austin McDade had a hit and two RBIs, Cael Chatham, McKinley Erves and Liam Moreno each had a hit and one RBI, and Liam Carbone had a hit and two runs scored.

On the mound, Richie Post started and pitched five scoreless innings.

Austin Brown threw one inning and allowed three runs, and Coston Anderson pitched a scoreless seventh inning.

In Saturday’s second game, Berea outscored LaGrange College 10-8.

Rhett Hollon had three hits and two RBIs to lead the Panthers’ offensive effort, and Liam Moreno had three hits and an RBI.

EJ Churchhich had a pair of doubles and two RBIs for the Panthers, and Cael Chatham had two hits and two RBIs.

Joe Ruth and Trey Pearce each had one hit.

Four LaGrange College pitchers appeared in the game, including Spencer Douches and Tanner Chafin, who combined for 4 1/3 scoreless innings.