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 Panthers' Merrifield wins summer league award
Aug. 10, 2006
Rising senior Joey Merrifield (Dallas, Ga./Paulding Co.) was named the Most Valuable Pitcher for the Georgia Summer Collegiate League. Merrifield, pitching for the Georgia Stars, was 7-0 this summer with a 1.25 earned run average. He helped lead the Stars to the regular season and tournament championships. The team finished with a record of 37-6-1.
This past season, Merrifield had an 8-6 record with an earned run average of 2.68 as the Panthers won the Great South Athletic Conference Championship. He led the team in 14 pitching catergories, including wins, complete games (5), saves (2) and strikeouts (80). Merrifield set a school record for a season with 97-1/3 innings pitched. He also was named to the Great South Athletic Conference team and an Honorable Mention selection to the All-South region team.
Panthers win GSAC championship in dramatic fashion
May 1, 2006
DEMOREST, Ga.- LaGrange College won the 2006 GSAC Baseball Championship Tournament in dramatic fashion Monday. Sophomore catcher Stephen Cheney hit a two-out two-run walk-off home run to lift the Panthers to a 12-11 win over top seed and tournament host Piedmont at Loudermilk Field.
 The third-seeded Panthers (26-16) swept through the tournament unbeaten. They beat the top-seeded Lions (27-17) twice and second-seeded Huntingdon. The championship was the first for the Panthers since 2003, which was at Piedmont also. The Panthers are 6-0 in GSAC tournament games at Piedmont.
Piedmont scored four runs in the first inning and two more in the second to grab a 6-0 lead. The Lions had only two hits off Panther starter Jeremy Dockins and reliever Seth Harris but took advantage of five walks, a wild pitch and three passed balls. Designated hitter Andy House got the Lions going with a two-out two-run home run off Dockins. Justin Phelps, the third of five Panther pitchers, held the Lions in check until the seventh inning.
The Panthers staged the first of two comebacks in the sixth inning. Trailing 8-1, they scored seven runs in the inning to tie the game at 8-8. It was the third time in as many tournament games the Panthers had scored seven runs in an inning.
Patrick Langley started the inning with an infield hit and moved over to third on a double by Michael Sims. Langley scored when Brandon Mahoney reached on an error by third baseman Stan Brosko. Andrew Keith walked to load the bases. Pinch-hitter Jesse Brown punched a hit through the right side, scoring two more runs to make it 8-4.
Jose Navarro ended up at second after reaching on a throwing error by Brosko on a sacrifice bunt attempt. Keith came around to score on the play further cutting Piedmont's lead to 8-5. The Panthers loaded the bases with two outs. Langley cleared the bases with a double into the left field corner tying the game.
The tie was short lived. Piedmont scored three runs in the seventh inning to retake the lead, 11-8. Walker Searcy capped the inning with a two-run double off Jacob Sanders, who had relieved Phelps in the inning.
It remained 11-8 until the ninth inning. With one out, Mahoney doubled to right field. Keith followed with a double to right center, scoring pinch-runner Tyson Sandlin for the inning's first run. With two outs, pinch-hitter Jordan Velez singled to right center, scoring Keith to keep the inning going.
Cheney came to the plate for his first at-bat of the game and the tournament. He had entered the game as a defensive replacement in the eighth inning. Cheney drove Lions' reliever Josh Berens' first pitch over the center field fence for the game-winner. The home run was the first of the season for Cheney. It set off a wild celebration at home plate by the Panthers. For his heroics, Cheney was named the tournament MVP.
Shaun O'Hara (1-0), the last of the Panther pitchers, pitched a scoreless ninth inning to get the win. He walked two batters in the inning but got out of the jam without any runs scoring.
The game was the last for seniors Rod Durden, Kevin Finnegan, Nick Nelson and Sanders. During their four years, the Panthers won 117 games, three GSAC regular season titles, two GSAC tournament championships and a USCAA national championship.
Panthers reach GSAC champioship game
April 30, 2006
DEMOREST, Ga. – Riding another clutch pitching performance and using a big inning, LaGrange College reached the GSAC championship game with a 13-3 win over top seed Piedmont on Sunday at Loudermilk Field. The Panthers need only one win to clinch its first GSAC tournament title since 2003.
The Panthers (25-16) will face Piedmont (27-16) again in the title game Monday at 3 p.m. The host Lions eliminated Huntingdon, the defending tournament champion, in the loser's bracket. The Lions will have to defeat the Panthers twice to claim the championship.
Senior Kevin Finnegan gave the Panthers their second straight complete game of the tournament on the mound. In his final collegiate start, he scattered nine hits, allowed the three runs, walked four and struck out four. Over the last five innings, Finnegan surrendered only four hits and a run in the ninth inning.
For the second straight game, the Panthers used a seven-run outburst to take control of the game. The Panthers sent 13 batters to the plate in the fourth inning to wipe out a 2-1 deficit.
With a runners on first and second and one out, Oki Teo reached on an error by shortstop Justin Oates. Michael Sims scored on the play, tying the game 2-2. Jose Navarro followed with base hit through the left side, driving in Andrew Keith with the go-ahead run. Nick Nelson was hit by a pitch to load the bases.
B.J. Hampton relieved Lions' starter Ian McClary and was greeted by Rod Durden's two-run double down the left field line to up the Panthers' lead to 5-2. Seth Tucker's bunt single scored Nelson with the fifth run of the inning. Michael Sims beat out an infield hit with two outs to score Teo. Brandon Mahoney's RBI single capped the inning, scoring Tucker to make it 8-2.
The Panthers put the game out of reach with five runs in the seventh inning. Nelson led off the inning with a single to left. He later scored on Sims' sacrifice fly for the first run of the inning. Brandon Mahoney followed with an RBI single to make it 10-2. Andrew Keith capped the inning with a three-run home run to right field. It was his second home run of the season.
The Panthers had 15 hits in the game, with only one starter not registering a hit. Mahoney and Keith each had three hits. Tucker, Navarro and Durden all had two hits.
Box Score
Panthers rout Huntingdon at GSAC tournament
April 29, 2006
DEMOREST, Ga. – Joey Merrifield's pitching and a big sixth inning propelled LaGrange College past Huntingdon 10-1 at the GSAC Championship Tournament on Saturday at Piedmont College's Loudermilk Field. The Panthers (24-16), seeded third, face host and top seeded Piedmont at 1 p.m. on Sunday.
Merrifield pitched a complete game in raising his record to 8-6. He scattered six hits, walked two and struck out seven.
The Panthers bested Huntingdon ace Jake Baker. Baker, the GSAC Pitcher of the Year, pitched into the sixth inning before being relieved. He surrendered nine runs, eight earned, walked three and struck out two.
Merrifield benefited from some outstanding defensive play from right fielder Andrew Keith in the first three innings. Keith threw out Taylor Files trying to stretch a single into a double in the second inning. In the third, he ended the inning with a diving catch of Baker's line drive, saving two runs.
The Panthers got on the board in the fifth inning. Nick Nelson lined a one-out base hit to center, scoring Oki Teo with the game's first run. Jose Navarro scored later in the inning, when Seth Tucker reached on an error by Files at first base to make it 2-0.
The Panthers broke the game open in the sixth inning. The Panthers sent 13 batters to the plate, scoring seven runs to open up a 9-0 lead. Michael Sims started the inning with the first of five doubles in the inning. Teo doubled in the first two runs of the inning. Teo's double was the first of three straight by the Panthers. Navarro and Nelson's doubles upped the Panthers' lead to 6-0. The Panthers tacked on three more runs on Rod Durden's sacrifice fly and back-to-back bases loaded walks to Brandon Mahoney and Keith.
Teo drove in the Panthers' final run in the eighth inning. Mahoney walked with two outs. Keith and Teo followed with back-to-back base hits to score Mahoney.
Huntingdon avoided the shut out in the ninth inning. Tyler Jones spoiled Merrifield's shut out bid with a two-out home run over the left field fence.
The Panthers had 14 hits in the game. Nelson and Tucker had three hits each. Teo, Langley and Keith each had two hits each. Teo finished with three RBIs.
Box Score
Rain washes out Senior Night game with Emory
April 26, 2006
Rain washed out LaGrange College's Senior Night game with Emory at Cleavelnad Field on Wednesday. The game was to be the last regular season game for the Panthers (23-16). It will not be rescheduled.
Rain had pushed back the start of the game from 6 p.m. to 7:30. The pre-game ceremonies for seniors Rod Durden, Kevin Finnegan, Nick Nelson and Jacob Sanders were completed before the rain came again. After a one-hour delay the game was called.
The four seniors have been part of 114 wins over the last four seasons, a USCAA national championship, three GSAC regular season titles and a GSAC tournament championship.
Durden is a Business Management major from Jesup, Ga. He is a four-year letterman as an outfielder. Durden is a two-time GSAC All-Conference selection. As a junior, he ranked 19th nationally in NCAA Division III in sacrifice hits per game and tied for the team lead with 10. As a sophomore, he batted a career-high .361. This season, Durden is batting .328 and has committed only one error in the outfield. He has a career batting average of .327 in 105 games with 73 starts.
Finnegan is a Business Management major from Brooklet, Ga. He is a four-year letterman as a pitcher. As a junior, Finnegan had a 1-2 record and a 4.74 earned run average. He has had a career season as a senior. Finnegan is 6-3 with an earned run average of 3.80 in 15 appearances. He has made 10 starts with one complete game and has struck out 42 in 64 innings. Finnegan pitched a career-high eight innings twice this season and had a career-best six strikeouts against Piedmont on April 21. He has 35 appearances during his career and a 7-6 record with an ERA of 4.37 and has allowed only one home run in 94-2/3 innings pitched.
Nelson is a Biology major from Birmingham, Ala. and a four-year letterman as a catcher. He is a two-time GSAC All-Conference selection. As a junior, Nelson batted .328 with a career-high 22 RBIs and was third on the team with 10 doubles. As a sophomore, he batted a career-high .347, which was fourth on the team. As a freshman, he was named to the GSAC All-Freshman team. This season, Nelson is batting .326 with 11 RBIs. He leads the team with eight sacrifice hits. Nelson has 109 hits in his career and a .330 batting average.
Sanders is a Business Management major from Bowdon, Ga. and is a four-year letterman as a pitcher. He was 2-0 as a junior with an earned run average of 2.25. Sanders had eight appearances with one start and struck out 27 in 20 innings. This season, he is tied for second on the team with 15 appearances. Sanders has a 1-0 record with one save. He has struck out 40 in 30 innings of work. Sanders has 42 career appearances and a 4-1 career record with an ERA of 4.96. He has 104 career strikeouts in 81-2/3 innings.
Piedmont takes weekend series, GSAC regular season title
April 23, 2006
Piedmont wrapped up the 2006 GSAC regular season championship with a 13-4 win over LaGrange College at Cleaveland Field on Sunday. The Lions (25-15, 10-2 GSAC) will be the top seed at next weekend's conference championship tournament at their own Loudermilk Field. Piedmont ended the Panthers' five-year run as GSAC regular season champions.
The Panthers (23-16, 8-4 GSAC) will be the third seed in the conference tournament and will face Huntingdon in their first game. The Panthers will close out the regular season Wednesday at home against Emory.
The Lions built an 12-0 lead before the Panthers got on the scoreboard in the eighth. Jesse Brown hit a pinch hit solo home run for the Panthers' first run.
The Panthers added three runs in the ninth inning for the 13-4 final score. The Panthers out hit the Lions 12-10 in the game. Patrick Langley had three hits to lead the Panthers.
The Panthers used seven pitchers in the game. David Tillis (0-1) started for the Panthers and took the loss. The Panthers issued 15 walks in the game.
Panthers force deciding game for GSAC regular season title
April 22, 2006
It will come down to one game Sunday for the GSAC regular season title. LaGrange College downed Piedmont 11-4 on Saturday after dropping the completion of Friday's suspended game 10-6.
Saturday's results left the Lions (24-15) with a 9-2 conference mark and the Panthers (23-15) at 8-3. If the Panthers win, they take the weekend series and own the tiebreaker for first. The loser of Sunday's game plays Huntingdon in the first round of the GSAC tournament next weekend at Piedmont.
Piedmont used a six-run explosion in the top of the ninth to complete a come-from-behind victory in the first game. The Lions trailed 6-4 heading into the bottom of the eighth Friday when lightning halted play.
In the ninth, the Lions tied the game on a ground out and bases loaded walk off reliever Joey Merrifield. With two outs, designated hitter Andy House connected for a grand slam off Merrifield for the winning runs.
Merrifield (7-6) came back in the second game to even the series for the Panthers. He allowed two runs, only one earned in six innings to get the win. Merrifield was helped by freshman Korey Ison, who had a season-high six RBIs in the game.
The game was tied 2-2 heading into the bottom of the fifth. The Panthers strung together three straight two-out hits by Seth Tucker, Evan Smith and Michael Sims to go ahead 3-2. Ison capped the inning with a bases loaded triple, driving in three more runs and putting the Panthers up 6-2.
The Panthers put the game out of reach with five more runs in the sixth inning. Ison again had the big blow, a bases loaded double that drove in three more runs.
The Panthers finished the game with 13 hits. Tucker had three hits and scored three runs. Ison, Sims and Oki Teo each had two hits.
Game time Sunday is 1 p.m. The Panthers close out the regular season Wednesday, April 26 at home against Emory. It will be Senior Night.
Piedmont game suspended
April 21, 2006
Lightning forced the suspension of the Piedmont-LaGrange College game Friday night at Cleaveland Field. The Panthers were leading 6-4 heading into the bottom of the eighth inning when the game was suspended.
The game will resume at that point Saturday at 2 p.m. The second game of this key GSAC series will follow 30 minutes after the conclusion of the suspended game. The weekend series concludes Sunday. Piedmont is 8-1 in GSAC play, while the Panthers are 7-2.
The Panthers struck for five runs in the first inning off Piedmont ace Billy Secor. Brandon Mahoney had a two-run single in the inning.
Panther starter Kevin Finnegan held Piedmont to two hits through six innings. The Lions got two unearned runs in the seventh and two-run home run from Walker Searcy off reliever Jason Sanders.
The Panthers got an unearned run in the bottom of the seventh. Evan Smith scored after Nick Nelson bunted for a single and the late throw to first was thrown away.
Millsaps downs Panthers
April 18, 2006
JACKSON, Miss.- Millsaps finished a sweep of its two-game series with LaGrange College with a 13-1 win Tuesday at Twenty Field. The Panthers fell to 22-14 with their 10th loss in their last 12 games. The Majors, ranked 14th in Division III, improved to 28-9.
The Panthers used six pitchers in the game. They combined for 17 walks in the game. Seth Harris started the game for the Panthers. He allowed five runs and walked eight batters in two innings. Kevin Finnegan and Jacob Sanders allowed only one earned run in four combined innings and walked only two. Coach Kevin Howard used three position players to close out the game. Bob Wise allowed three runs in pitching 2/3 of an inning, Seth Tucker got the final out in the seventh and Michael Sims allowed two runs in the eighth.
The Panthers out hit the Majors 9-8 in the game. Tucker and Patrick Langley had two hits each. Tucker had a double included in his two hits. Stephen Cheney also had a double.
The Panthers host Piedmont in a key GSAC series beginning Friday at 7 p.m. Piedmont leads the GSAC with an 8-1 record with the Panthers second at 7-2. The winner of the series will be the top seed for the conference tournament at Piedmont that starts April 29.
Millsaps outslugs Panthers
April 17, 2006
JACKSON, Miss. - Millsaps took a commanding early lead and went on to a 14-9 win over LaGrange College on Monday at Twenty Field. The loss was the ninth in the last 11 games for the Panthers, now 22-13. Millsaps upped its record to 27-9.
Justin Carter and Garner Wetzel hit home runs for the Majors, who had 17 hits in the game. The Panthers had 14 hits, led by Nick Nelson's three base hits.
Carter hit a two-run home run off starter Justin Phelps (2-2) in the first inning. The Majors added four more runs in the second inning to open up a 6-0 lead.
Nelson led off the third for the Panthers with a base hit. He scored on Rod Durden's infield hit to make it 6-1. Trailing 8-1, the Panthers scored twice in the fifth to cut the deficit. Patrick Langley reached on a two-out error, allowing two runs to score.
The Panthers got two runs in the seventh to make it 11-5. Tyson Sandlin and Michael Sims had RBI singles in the inning. Millsaps came back with three runs in its half of the seventh to go up 14-5.
The Panthers closed out the scoring in the eighth with four runs. Sandlin and Ross Caton both walked with the bases loaded to force in a run. Sims added a run-scoring single later in the inning.
The Panthers conclude the road portion of the schedule against Millsaps on Tuesday. The Panthers return home for a GSAC weekend series against Piedmont beginning Friday. The series will determine the GSAC regular season champion. Piedmont is 8-1 in conference play, followed by the Panthers at 7-2.
Panthers salvage split of doubleheader with Huntingdon
April 15, 2006
MONTGOMERY, Ala. - LaGrange College salvaged a split of a GSAC doubleheader with Huntingdon on Saturday at Posey Field. The Hawks (26-8, 8-4 GSAC) took the first game 8-5. The Panthers (22-12, 7-2 GSAC) came from behind for a 10-8 win in the second game. Huntingdon won two of the three games during the weekend, the first time the Panthers have lost a GSAC series.
Huntingdon used a seven-run fourth inning to wipe out a 2-1 deficit in the first game. The Hawks had six hits and took advantage of a Panther error in the inning. Robby Preston capped the inning with a two-run single.
Patrick Langley's two-run single in the fifth cut Huntingdon's lead to 8-4. Ross Caton drove in a run with a base hit in the eighth, but the Panthers could get no closer.
Brandon Mahoney had two hits, including a double for the Panthers. Stephen Cheney also had two hits. The Panthers finished with nine hits in the game.
Joey Merrifield (6-5) took the loss for the Panthers. He went the distance, allowing the eight runs, three of those being unearned. Merrifield scattered 10 hits, walked one and struck out nine.
In the second game, the Panthers took a 2-0 lead in the second inning. Cory Matticola led off with a double and scored on Seth Tucker's ground out. Nick Nelson drove in the second run with a single, scoring Andrew Keith.
Huntingdon came back with five runs in their half of the second. Preston again had the big hit in the inning, a two-run home run off Panther reliever David Tillis.
Brandon Mahoney's solo home run in the third got the Panthers within two runs, 5-3. Seth Tucker's RBI single in the fourth made it 5-4.
The Panthers retook the lead in the fifth inning. Mahoney and Matticola had back-to-back RBI singles in the inning to put the Panthers up 6-5. The Hawks tied the game in their half of the fifth on Blake Toole's two-out hit.
The Panthers took the lead for good in the sixth. Michael Sims and Langley had back-to-back doubles to give the Panthers an 8-6 lead. Keith gave the Panthers a 10-6 cushion in the ninth with a two-run home run, his first of the season.
Huntingdon got two runs in the ninth on Marshall Barfield's home run off Jacob Sanders (1-0). Sanders relieved Tillis in the fifth inning with two outs.
The Panthers had 15 hits in the second game. Keith led the way with three hits, including the home run.
The Panthers play at Millsaps on Monday and Tuesday. They return home for a GSAC weekend series against Piedmont. The series will determine the GSAC regular season champion. Piedmont is 8-1 in conference play, followed by the Panthers at 7-2.
Huntingdon takes first game of GSAC series
April 14, 2006
MONTGOMERY, Ala.- Jake Baker pitched a complete game and Blake Toole hit his first home run of the season to lead Huntingdon to an 8-2 win over LaGrange College at Posey Field on Friday. The game was the first of a three-game GSAC series between the two teams.
The Hawks upped their record to 25-7 and 7-3 in conference play. The Panthers (21-11, 6-1 GSAC) suffered their first conference loss. It was the seventh loss in the last eight games for the Panthers.
Baker (5-2) did not allow an earned run and only five hits. He walked five and struck out 14. Kevin Finnegan (6-3) took the loss for the Panthers. Finnegan allowed seven runs, all earned, in four innings. He walked three and struck out three. Justin Phelps pitched the final four innings for the Panthers. He allowed a run on two hits, walked one and struck out two.
The Panthers took a 1-0 lead in the first inning. Patrick Langley singled with one out and move up to second on an error. He scored on Brandon Mahoney's two-out double.
Baker helped himself in the bottom of the first. He drove in the tying run with a double. The Hawks added two more runs in the second to take the lead for good, 3-1.
Huntingdon broke the game open with four runs in the fourth inning. Toole's two-run home run was the big blow in the inning.
The Panthers got their final run in the seventh inning. Langley reached on a two-out single. He came around to score when Michael Sims reached on an error.
The two teams conclude the series Saturday with a doubleheader. The Panthers play at Millsaps on Monday and Tuesday.
Panthers down Oglethorpe to end losing streak
April 11, 2006
ATLANTA- LaGrange College ended its six-game losing streak with a 16-8 non-conference win over Oglethorpe on Tuesday. The Panthers upped their record to 21-10 after beating the Stormy Petrels for the third time this season. Oglethorpe dropped to 9-23.
The Panthers used eight pitchers in the game. Kevin Finnegan started the game and pitched two innings. Justin Phelps (2-1) picked up the win. He allowed two unearned runs in an inning of work. The Panthers committed six errors in the game, leading to five unearned runs.
The Panthers built a 6-0 lead by the third inning. Ross Caton had a two-run double in the second inning. Oglethorpe scored four runs in the bottom of the third and two more in the fourth inning to tie the game.
The Panthers went ahead to stay in the fifth inning. Cory Matticola and Evan Smith had run-scoring singles in the inning to put the Panthers up 8-6.
The Panthers added a run in the sixth inning and two more in the seventh to up their lead to 11-6. Andrew Keith had an RBI single in the sixth and Brandon Mahoney a two-run single in the seventh.
The Panthers sent 11 batters to the plate in the ninth inning, scoring five runs to put the game out of reach. The Panthers took advantage of three walks and a hit batsmen in the inning.
The Panthers finished the game with 22 hits. Mahoney, Seth Tucker and Patrick Langley all had three hits. Tucker had two doubles included in his hits and scored four runs. Mahoney drove in three runs in the game.
The Panthers travel to Montgomery, Ala. for a three-game GSAC series with Huntingdon on Friday and Saturday. The two teams play a single game Friday and a doubleheader Saturday.
N.C. Wesleyan deals Panthers sixth straight loss
April 6, 2006
ROCKY MOUNT, N.C. - LaGrange College finished its Spring Break trip with an 8-3 loss to N.C. Wesleyan at Bauer Field on Thursday. It was the sixth straight loss for the Panthers, now 20-10. The losing streak is the longest for the Panthers since 2002.
The Panthers had 10 hits in the game but left 12 runners on base. They committed four errors, leading to five unearned runs.
Jeremy Dockins (4-3) took the loss for the Panthers. He pitched 3-2/3 innings, allowing three runs. Jacob Sanders allowed five unearned runs in two innings of work. Seth Harris pitched 2-1/3 innings of scoreless relief.
The Panthers scored the first run of the game in the first inning. With one out, Rod Durden legged out an infield hit. He moved up to second on Patrick Langley's single and scored on Brandon Mahoney's base hit.
The Bishops (21-13) answered with a run in the first and one more in the second to take a 2-1 lead. The Panthers tied the game in the fourth inning.
With two outs in the inning, Michael Sims and Durden had back-to-back hits. Durden's hit scored Nick Nelson, who had reached on a fielder's choice earlier in the inning.
N.C. Wesleyan came back with runs in the fourth and fifth innings to build a 4-2 lead. The Bishops broke the game open in the sixth inning. The Panthers committed two costly errors in the inning, resulting in four unearned runs and an 8-2 deficit.
The Panthers closed out the scoring with a run in the seventh. Caton's two-out double to left field scored Oki Teo from first base to make it 8-3.
Durden, Mahoney and Seth Tucker all had two hits for the Panthers. The Bishops, who were celebrating Senior Day, also had 10 hits in the game.
The Panthers play at Oglethorpe in Atlanta on Tuesday, April 11.
Greensboro downs Panthers
April 5, 2006
GREENSBORO – Greensboro College picked up its 11th non-conference victory of the season an 8-1 victory over 23rd ranked LaGrange College at War Memorial Stadium. It was the fifth straight loss for the Panthers, now 20-9. Greensboro improved to 21-12.
The Panthers had 13 hits in the game but only managed the one run. Greensboro turned three double plays and threw out three Panther runners on the base paths. Michael Sims and Rod Durden had three hits each for the Panthers
.Greensboro was led by the bats of Pat Burgess (2-4, 3 RBI, 2 runs, HR) and Jess Maloney (1-4, 2 RBI, HR). Along with Burgess, Brent Justice (2-5) and Jeff Gregory (2-4), also recorded multi-hit games.
On the mound, AnDrew Keever (5-1) went the distance for Greensboro, allowing 13 hits, one earned run and five strikeouts. Joey Merrifield (6-4) also pitched a complete game for the Panthers, allowing 10 hits, eight earned runs, three walks and five strikeouts.
The Pride broke a scoreless tie in the third inning, scoring three runs on three hits, while taking advantage of two Panther errors. Jeff Gregory drove in Justice, who had singled earlier, with a two-out base hit to center. Burgess followed with a two-run home run to straight-away center for a 3-0 lead.
Greensboro added to its lead in the fourth inning. Chad Clark scored on Zack Liles' double to left center, upping the Pride's lead to 4-0.
The Panthers scored their only run in the fifth inning. Dusty Luebbers and Ross Caton led off the inning with back-to-back hits. With two outs, Sims doubled to right field, scoring Luebbers to cut the Pride's lead to 4-1. Caton was thrown out at the plate trying to score on the play for the final out of the inning.
The Pride answered with a four-run fifth inning. Burgess had an RBI single and Maloney capped the inning with a two-run home run to right center for the 8-1 final margin.
The Panthers close out their Spring Break trip with a game against N.C. Wesleyan on Thursday.
Ferrum hands Panthers fourth straight loss
April 4, 2006
Ferrum College scored eight runs and went on to a 19-7 win over LaGrange College on Tuesday in Ferrum, Va. The Panthers have a lost four in a row on their Spring Break trip and are 20-8 overall.
The 19 runs scored were the second highest given up by the Panthers to an opponent under coach Kevin Howard. It was largest margin of defeat for the Panthers since a 13-0 loss to Sewanee in 2002.
Ferrum battered Panthers' pitching for 22 hits in the game. The homestanding Panthers had five different players with three hits each. Brent Stowers and Nick Baker drove in four runs each for Ferrum. Stowers tied a school record with seven at-bats in the game.
Jeremy Dockins (4-2) took the loss for the Panthers. Dockins surrendered all eight runs in the first inning, leaving the game with two outs in the inning. Justin Phelps allowed four runs in 2-1/3 innings, Shaun O'Hara five runs in two innings, while Seth Harris and Ryan Lanford both allowed a run in an inning of work each. Jacob Sanders was the only Panther pitcher not to allow a run, striking out two of the three batters he faced in the eighth inning.
Ferrum sent 14 batters to the plate in the first inning. Baker, with the bases loaded, cleared the bases with a double to cap the inning.
The Panthers got two runs back in the third to trail 9-2. Nick Nelson scored when Seth Tucker reached on a fielder's choice. Rod Durden also scored on an error on the same play.
Ferrum built a 17-2 lead after four innings. The Panthers got three runs in the fifth and two more in the seventh to close out their scoring. Michael Sims had an RBI single, while Tucker drove in a run with a sacrifice fly in the fifth. In the seventh, Sims scored on an error and Ross Caton had a run-scoring base hit.
The Panthers finished with 11 hits in the game. Sims led the way with three hits. Caton, Cory Matticola and Dusty Luebbers had two hits each.
The Panthers continue their Spring Break trip with a game against Greensboro (N.C.) College on Wednesday.
Panthers' rally falls short against Hampden-Sydney
April 3, 2006
HAMPDEN-SYDNEY, Va.- Hampden-Sydney held off a last inning LaGrange rally for a 3-2 win Monday at Yank Bernier Field. It was the third straight loss for the Panthers, now 20-7. Hampden-Sydney upped its record to 14-12.
The Panthers trailed 3-0 heading into the ninth inning. Panthers rallied in the ninth. Oki Teo led off with a single and Ross Caton followed with a double to right field. Jesse Brown was hit by a pitch to load the bases with no outs. Dusty Luebbers drove in Teo with a sacrifice fly for the Panthers' first run. Caton and Brown moved up to second and third on Rod Durden's ground out. Caton scored on a wild pitch to cut the Tigers' lead to 3-2. But reliever Daniel Hadra got Seth Tucker to ground out to third to end the game.
Kevin Finnegan (6-2) took the loss for the Panthers. Finnegan pitched a complete game, allowing the three runs, only two were earned. He struck out three, walked three and surrendered nine hits. The Panthers committed a season-high five errors.
Michael Hall (2-0) pitched six scoreless innings for the Tigers. He allowed three hits, walked two and struck out two.Hadra pitched the final three innings to pick up a save.
Hampden-Sydney opened the scoring in the third. Todd Harrell and John Apperson had back-to-back base hits, scoring Jay Lilley for a 1-0 lead. Lilley had reached when the Panthers failed to turn a potential inning-ending double play.
The Tigers increased their lead to 3-0 in the fifth. Luke Brankley reached on a one-out error. He later scored on a double by Harrell. Apperson's sacrifice fly drove in Lilley for the second run of the inning.
The Panthers had scoring chances in the sixth and eighth innings.
In the sixth, the Panthers loaded the bases with two outs in the sixth. Hall got Oki Teo to ground out to end the inning.
The Panthers put two runners on to start eighth inning. Durden reached on an error and Tucker followed with a base hit. Patrick Langley moved up the runners with a sacrifice bunt. Hadra ended the threat by striking Michael Sims and Brandon Mahoney to end the inning.
The Panthers play at Ferrum (Va.) on Tuesday.
Emory ends Panthers' win streak
April 1, 2006
ATLANTA - Emory University ended LaGrange College's winning streak at 12 with a pair of wins at Chappell Park on Saturday. The third-ranked Eagles (26-2) won 6-2 in the completion of a suspended game from March 9 and took the scheduled game 3-2. The losses dropped the 19th-ranked Panthers to 20-6 on the season.
Junior Joey Merrifield took the loss in both games. He had allowed three runs, two earned, in six innings of the first game before it was suspended. Merrifield (6-3) went the distance in the second game. He gave up three earned runs, allowed eight hits and struck out six.
Trailing 6-1 after seven innings when the game was suspended, the Panthers got a run back in the eighth. With two outs, Michael Sims singled and stole second. He scored on a base hit by Brandon Mahoney. It would be as close as the Panthers would get.
In the game, the Panthers had 10 hits. Oki Teo led the way with three hits, including a double. Sims added two hits and two stolen bases.
The Panthers took a 1-0 lead in the second inning of the second game. Mahoney led off the inning with a single and Teo followed with a double. Mahoney scored the game's first run on Andrew Keith's sacrifice fly.
The Eagles got runs in the second and third to go up 2-1. They added an insurance run in the sixth for a 3-1 lead.
The Panthers closed within a run in the eighth. With one out, Teo walked. He came all the way around from first to score on Keith's double to make it 3-2. The Panthers left runners on the corners to end the inning. In the ninth, the Panthers had runners on second and third when the game ended.
The Panthers play at Hampden-Sydney (Va.) on Monday as they continue their Spring Break road trip.
Panthers down DePauw to keep streak going
March 30, 2006
LaGrange College made it 12 wins in a row with an 8-1 win over DePauw at Cleaveland Field on Thursday. The 19th ranked Panthers improved to 20-4 on the season. DePauw slipped to 9-11 with its third straight loss.
Jeremy Dockins (4-1) won his third straight start. The junior pitched six shutout innings. allowing only two hits, walking one and striking out one. Dockins has allowed just one earned run in his last 22 innings, an earned run average of 0.41 during that stretch.
The Panthers gave Dockins plenty of offense, banging out 12 hits in the game. Seth Tucker, Patrick Langley, Brandon Mahoney and Oki Teo all had two hits. Mahoney had his second home run of the season included in his two hits. Over the last six games, Mahoney is batting .591 with nine RBIs.
The Panthers touched Tiger starter Kerry Ford (0-1) for two runs in the first inning. Tucker led off the inning with a double. He moved up on a wild pitch and a groundout. Tucker scored the game's first run when Michael Sims reached on the first of eight Tiger errors. With two outs, Mahoney blasted a solo home run to left field for a 2-0 lead.
In the third, the Panthers benefited from a Tiger miscue to go up 3-0. Langley led off the inning with a double. He stole third and came home when the throw went into left field. The Panthers picked up two more runs in the fourth to make it 5-0. Langley and Sims had RBI singles in the inning.
The Panthers put the game out of reach in the fifth. Teo led off with a double and scored on a base hit by Andrew Keith. The Panthers loaded the bases with one out. Tucker drove in two runs with a base hit, upping the Panthers' lead to 8-0.
The Tigers scored their lone run in the eighth off reliever Seth Harris. Jacob Sanders had relieved Dockins and pitched a scoreless seventh. Ryan Lanford closed out the game with a scoreless ninth.
The Panthers play at third-ranked Emory on Saturday. The two teams will complete a suspended game from March 9, followed by the scheduled game. The Panthers trail 6-1 after seven innings in the suspended game. The games start a 12-game stretch of road games for the Panthers. They do not play at Cleaveland Field until April 21 against GSAC foe Piedmont.
Panthers sweep GSAC players of the week for second time
March 28, 2006
The Great South Athletic Conference has released its baseball players of the week for the week ending March 26. LaGrange swept the weekly honors for the second time this season. Brandon Mahoney was the Player of the Week and Joey Merrifield was the Pitcher of the Week for the third time this season.
Mahoney, a freshman designated hitter, batted .611 in five games last week. He was 11-for-18 with four runs scored, four doubles, a triple and eight RBIs. He had a slugging percentage of .944. Mahoney raised his season batting average to .435 and leads the team with 19 RBIs.
Merrifield, a junior, was 2-0 as a starter and also picked up a save as a reliever in three appearances. He allowed only two earned runs in 16 innings of work. Merrifield walked only one and struck out 16. For the season, Merrifield is 6-1 with a 1.87 ERA and two saves.
It was the second straight week the Panthers have had the Pitcher of the Week. Jeremy Dockins was honored for the week ending March 19.
Dockins pitched a complete game shutout against Sewanee on March 17. He allowed three hits, while striking out three and walking none in the 4-0 win.
Panthers complete sweep of Maryville
March 26, 2006
LaGrange College rode the arm of Joey Merrifield and the bat of Brandon Mahoney to down Maryville College 9-1 on Sunday at Cleaveland Field. The win enabled the Panthers to sweep the weekend GSAC series from the Scots. The win was the Panthers' 11th straight, raising their record to 19-4 overall and 6-0 in the GSAC. Maryville suffered its fifth straight loss and dropped to 9-17 overall and 0-3 in conference play.
Merrifield (6-1) pitched eight innings to get the win. He scattered six hits, allowed an unearned run, did not walk a batter and struck out six. Merrifield was 2-0 for the week with a save. He struck out 12 in 16 innings and allowed only two earned runs.
Mahoney went 4-for-5 with five RBIs to lead the Panthers' 13-hit attack. He had three doubles and a triple in the game. For the three-game series, Mahoney was 9-for-13 with four doubles, a triple and six RBIs. He leads the team with 19 RBIs in 16 games.
The Panthers took a 1-0 lead in the first inning off starter and loser Matt Johnson (1-2). Michael Sims walked with two outs and stole second. Mahoney followed with a double down the left field line to drive in Sims from second.
Sims and Mahoney combined again in the fourth inning to pad the Panthers' lead. Sims led off the inning with a double to left center. Mahoney drove in Sims with another double to straight away center to make it 2-0.
The Panthers broke the game open with three runs in the fifth and four more in the seventh to build a 9-0 lead. Patrick Langley had a run scoring single and Mahoney an RBI triple in the fifth. In the seventh, Mahoney had a two-run double. Nick Nelson was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to force in a run and Evan Smith added an RBI single to cap the inning.
Maryville got its lone run in the eighth. Jed West doubled to right to start the inning. He later scored on Nathan Nehf's ground out.
Jacob Sanders pitched a scoreless ninth inning to close out the win for the Panthers. Sanders had been sidelined with an injury and had not pitched since Feb. 26.
The Panthers host DePauw on Thursday, March 30. It will be the Panthers' last home game until April 21. The Panthers face a stretch of 12 straight games on the road.
Panthers outlast Maryville
March 25, 2006
LaGrange College outlasted Maryville College 11-6 on Saturday at Cleaveland Field. The Panthers have won the first two games of the three-game GSAC series with the Scots.
The win was the Panthers' 10th straight and upped their season record to 18-4 overall and 5-0 in conference play. Maryville dropped to 9-16 overall and 0-2 in conference play.
Kevin Finnegan pitched six innings to raise his record to 6-1. He allowed five runs in six innings, scattering nine hits, walking three and striking out five. Justin Phelps pitched the final three innings to get his first save of the season. He gave up a run on three hits, walked one and struck out two.
Finnegan surrendered two runs in the first inning as the Scots jumped out to a 2-0 lead. The Scots left the bases loaded as Finnegan struck out Eric Hite to end the inning.
The Panthers tied the game in their half of the second inning. Oki Teo led off the inning with a double off the right field fence. He later scored on Evan Smith's ground out for the Panthers' first run. An error by the Scots on Jose Navarro's strike out with two outs allowed Andrew Keith to score the tying run.
Maryville retook the lead in the fifth. Adam Rosen had an RBI double and Daniel Holden a run-scoring single as the Scots went up 4-2.
The lead was short lived. The Panthers answered with six runs in the bottom of the inning to go ahead 8-4. Patrick Langley drove in the first run of the inning with a single. Michael Sims' sacrifice bunt scored Seth Tucker with the tying run. Brandon Mahoney doubled in the go-ahead run to put the Panthers up 5-4. Keith tripled to deep right center driving in two more runs to make it 7-4. Keith scored on Nick Nelson's sacrifice bunt for the final run of the inning.
Maryville got a run back in the sixth to make it 8-5. The Panthers came right back in their half of the sixth with a run. Sims' drove in Tucker with a one-out sacrifice bunt for a 9-5 lead.
Leading 9-6, the Panthers closed out the scoring in the seventh. Keith and Nelson reached on back-to-back walks with one out. They moved into scoring position with a double steal. Pinch-hitter Jesse Brown cleared the bases with a double to put the Panthers up 11-6.
Mahoney led the Panthers with three hits, including the double. The Panthers finished with 10 hits. Sims, Keith and Brown all had two RBIs. Keith also scored three runs.
The two teams close out the weekend series Sunday, beginning at 1 p.m.
Panthers take first game of GSAC weekend series with Maryville
March 24, 2006
LaGrange College opened a three-game GSAC weekend series against Maryville College with a 14-5 win Friday night at Cleaveland Field. It was the ninth straight win for the Panthers, now 17-4 overall and 4-0 in conference play. The game was the GSAC opener for the Scots, who fell to 9-15.
Jeremy Dockins (3-1) pitched seven strong innings to get the win. Dockins allowed a run, scattered five hits, walked only one and struck out six. Shaun O'Hara pitched final two innings for the Panthers. Matt Cain (2-1) took the loss for the Scots. He allowed nine runs, seven earned in five innings of work. Dustin Mohr pitched the last three innings.
The Panthers had 12 hits in the game. Seth Tucker, Patrick Langley, Brandon Mahoney and Nick Nelson all had two hits. The Panthers had nine different players with RBIs. Oki Teo led the way with two RBIs.
The Panthers got three runs in the first and two more in the second to open up a 5-0 lead. Langley had a run-scoring single in the first. Jose Navarro had an RBI singles and Seth Tucker a sacrifice fly in the second.
Leading 5-1, the Panthers scored five unanswered runs to build a 10-1 lead after six innings. Maryville got two runs in the eighth to make it 10-3. The Panthers closed out their scoring with four runs for a 14-3 lead. Ross Caton walked and Stephen Cheney was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to drive in two of the four runs. The other two runs scored on an error.
The two teams play Saturday at 2 p.m. The series concludes Sunday with a 1 p.m. game start.
Panthers down Centre
March 21, 2006
LaGrange College increased its winning streak to eight games with an 8-3 win over Centre at Cleaveland Field on Tuesday. The Panthers are 16-4 at the midpoint of their regular season schedule. Centre fell to 5-8 with the loss.
Joey Merrifield upped his season record to 5-1 with the win. He pitched seven innings, allowing two earned runs. Merrifield struck out six and walked one. Seth Harris gave up a run in the eighth. He was relieved by Justin Phelps, who got the final two outs in the eighth and the first two outs of the ninth. Ryan Lanford retired the only batter he faced to end the game.
The Panthers erased a 1-0 deficit with three runs in the third. Evan Smith started the inning with a single. After a sacrifice, Seth Tucker moved Smith up to third on a base hit and then stole second. Smith scored on Patrick Langley's double for the Panthers' first run. Tucker scored on Michael Sims' ground out and Langley later scored on Brandon Mahoney's infield hit to put the Panthers up 3-1.
The Panthers upped their lead to 4-1 with the help of two Colonel errors in the inning. Smith reached on one of the errors, allowing Andrew Keith to score. Keith had led off the inning with a single.
The Colonels got a run back in the fifth to cut the Panthers' lead to 4-2. But the Panthers' answered with two in the bottom of the inning. Sims reached on a fielder's choice and stole second. He stole third and scored when the throw went into left field. Oki Teo capped the inning with his first home run of the season to make it 6-2.
Leading 6-3, the Panthers pushed across a pair of insurance runs in the eighth. Jose Navarro had an RBI single and Nick Nelson scored as Tucker reached on a fielder's choice to put the Panthers up 8-3.
The Panthers had 12 hits in the game. Langley went 4-for-5 including the double. Teo added two hits, including his home run.
The Panthers host GSAC foe Maryville in the first of a three-game weekend series Friday at 7 p.m.
Panthers edge Virginia Wesleyan
March 20, 2006
LaGrange College extended its winning streak to seven games by edging Virginia Wesleyan 5-4 at Cleaveland Field on Monday. The Panthers improved to 15-4, while the Marlins slipped to 6-13.
The Panthers spotted the Marlins a first inning lead and then survived a last inning rally for the win. The two teams have met four times, with all four games decided by one run.
The Marlins jumped on starter Kevin Finnegan (5-1) in the first inning. The Marlins banged out three hits in taking a 3-0 lead. Finnegan settled down after the first, holding the Marlins to two hits over the next seven innings.
The Panthers got their first run in the second. Andrew Keith led off with a double. He moved over to third on a sacrifice bunt and scored when Evan Smith's grounder was misplayed.
The Panthers tied the game 3-3 in the third. Seth Tucker walked and went to third on Patrick Langley's base hit. Tucker scored on Michael Sims' sacrifice bunt. Langley came around to score on Oki Teo's two-out single.
The Panthers added two more runs in the fifth for a 5-3 lead. Tucker led off the inning with a single. He later scored on Sims' ground out to put the Panthers up 4-3. Brandon Mahoney drove in Langley for the Panthers' final run.
Finnegan ran into trouble in the ninth. Aswin Dhramapitaksook and Matt Hudgins led off the inning with back-to-back hits. Finnegan's throwing error allowed a run to score and left runners on first and third with none out.
Joey Merrifield relieved Finnegan and got a force out at second for the first out of the inning. He threw out Hudgins, who was trying to score on Brandon Hathaway's bunt attempt, at home for the second out. Merrifield got Mike Cardell to ground out to second to end the game.
The Panthers had nine hits in the game. Langley, Keith and Nick Nelson had two hits each.
The Panthers host Centre on Tuesday at 6 p.m.
Panthers open GSAC schedule by sweeping Fisk
March 19, 2006
LaGrange College opened its 2006 Great South Athletic Conference schedule with a weekend sweep of Fisk University in Nashville, Tenn. The Panthers swept a doubleheader on Saturday, winning the first game 20-6 and the second game 15-0. The Panthers finished the series sweep with a 20-1 win on Sunday.
Stephen Cheney had four RBIs in the first game, three coming on a bases loaded double. Ross Caton and Marc Brannon had three hits each, while Jordan Velez and Bryn Thomas had three RBIs apiece. The Panthers had 17 hits in the game.
Marcus Martin (1-0) pitched into the sixth to get the win. He gave up eight hits and all six runs, only three were earned. Seth Harris struck out the four batters he faced.
Andrew Gascoyne (1-0) and Justin Phelps combined on a three-hitter in the 15-0 win. Gascoyne allowed two hits in six innings, while walking none and striking out 10. Phelps finished the game with a scoreless inning of work.
Bob Wise led the Panthers with three hits, including his first home run of the season. He scored three runs and drove in five more. Brannon and Tyson Sandlin had three RBIs each. Fisk committed nine errors in the game, leading to nine unearned runs.
On Sunday, Jay Tatum and Shaun O'Hara combined to hold the Bulldogs to only one hit and an unearned run. Tatum pitched the first six innings, with O'Hara finishing the game in the seventh. Tatum struck out 10 while walking four.
Vince Thompson drove in five runs with a double and a single. Jesse Brown had three hits including his second home run of the season. The Panthers had 16 hits in the game.
The Panthers host Virginia Wesleyan on Monday at 8 p.m.
Panthers blank Sewanee
March 17, 2006
SEWANEE, Tenn.- LaGrange College started a four-game Tennessee weekend road trip with a 4-0 win over Sewanee at Montgomery Park on Friday. The Panthers improved to 11-4 on the season, while Sewanee dropped to 5-8.
Jeremy Dockins (2-1) pitched a complete game for the Panthers. He allowed only three hits, struck out three and did not walk a batter.
The Panthers took a 1-0 lead in the fourth. Michael Sims led off the inning with a double. He scored the Panthers' first run on Patrick Langley's two-out RBI single.
The Tigers' biggest threat came in the sixth inning. J.R. Candlish was thrown out at home trying to score on a one-out grounder. Dockins got the final out and set the Tigers down in order the final three innings.
The Panthers added three insurance runs in the ninth inning. Sims started the inning by reaching thiird on an error by the Tigers' outfield. He scored on Brandon Mahoney's sacrifice fly. With two outs in the inning, the Panthers bunched together four straight hits. The last two by Evan Smith and Jose Navarro drove in runs, pushing the Panthers' lead to 4-0.
Langley, Smith and Nick Nelson had two hits each for the Panthers. The Panthers finished with nine hits.
The Panthers open GSAC play with a three-game series against Fisk in Nashville. The two teams play a doubleheader on Saturday and finish with a game on Sunday.
Panthers hang on to edge Heidel berg
March 12, 2006
LaGrange College hung on to edge Heidelberg 6-5 on Sunday at Cleaveland Field. The Panthers improved to 10-4, while the Student Princes dropped to 4-4.
The Panthers won despite hitting into three double plays and having five other runners thrown out on the bases. Heidelberg stranded 13 runners in the game, including leaving the bases loaded twice. The Panthers turned two double plays of their own.
The Panthers took a 1-0 lead in the first inning. Patrick Langley singled with one out. Michael Sims and Brandon Mahoney followed with back-to-back base hits. Langley scored on Mahoney's base hit. Sims was out trying to go to third on the play. Mahoney also was out on the play, after straying too far past first base.
The Student Princes scored three runs off starter and winner Kevin Finnegan (4-1) in the third to go up 3-1. Jeremy Wentworth and Matt Decker had RBI singles in the inning.
The Panthers got a run back in their half of the third. Jose Navarro singled with one out and moved up on a balk. Seth Tucker doubled in Navarro to cut Heidelberg's lead to 3-2.
The Panthers tied the game in the fourth inning. They loaded the bases with no outs. Evan Smith drove in Mahoney with the tying run with a base hit. But Navarro hit into a double play to end the inning.
Finnegan worked out of a major jam in the top of the sixth. Heidelberg loaded the bases with one out. Finnegan struck out Alex Rutter for the second out. Sims made a diving catch in center of Wentworth's line drive to end the inning.
The Panthers took a 4-3 lead in the bottom of the sixth. Dusty Luebbers scored the go-ahead run when Jesse Brown reached on an error.
Finnegan pitched into the eighth before giving way to Joey Merrifield. The Panthers padded their lead in the bottom of the inning. Mahoney drove in a run with an RBI single and Luebbers' sacrifice bunt scored another to put the Panthers up 6-3.
The runs became huge for the Panthers in the top of the ninth. Tony Palowicz hit a two-run home run off Merrifield to make it 6-5. The Student Princes loaded the bases after two were out on a hit, an error and a walk. Merrifield ended the game and earned his first save by striking out pinch-hitter Matt Grassley.
The Panthers finished with 12 hits. Tucker, Sims, Mahoney and Oki Teo each had two hits.
The Panthers are on the road against Sewanee on March 17. They open GSAC play with a three-game series against Fisk in Nashville on March 18-19.
Panthers' game with Emory suspended
March 9, 2006
ATLANTA- LaGrange College's game with Emory on Thursday was suspended after the seventh inning. Emory led 6-1 when the game was suspended.
The game was delayed for almost an hour after Panther shortstop Jimmy Statler was injured. The game will resume on April 1 when the Panthers travel back to Emory for the second of three games between the two schools this season.
The Panthers host Heidelberg on Sunday at 2 p.m.
Panthers blast Bridgewater
March 6, 2006
LaGrange College got back on the winning track with a 17-5 win over Bridgewater College on Monday at Cleaveland Field. The Panthers snapped a two-game losing streak in upping their record to 9-4. Bridgewater dropped to 4-3.
Freshman Patrick Langley led the Panthers' 15-hit attack with four hits, including a triple. Langley scored three runs and drove in two more. Seth Tucker and Jimmy Statler added three hits each. Tucker had a triple in his three hits, while Statler had a pair of doubles.
Senior Kevin Finnegan (3-1) pitched six innings to get the win. He allowed five runs, four earned, in six innings. It was the longest outing of his career at LaGrange. Tim Canady and Ryan Lanford combined for three innings of scoreless relief. Canaday struck out three of the four batters he faced in his first appearance of the season.
The Panthers jumped out to a 5-0 lead in the first inning off starter and loser Nolan Shaffer (1-1). Langley had a one-out single. He stole second and scored on Michael Sims' double for the game's first run. Statler drove in the next two runs with another double. A Bridgewater error plated the fourth run. Nick Nelson's sacrifice bunt scored Statler with the final run of the inning.
The Eagles banged out five hits in the second inning to cut the Panthers' lead to 5-3. The Panthers got two of the runs back in the third inning. Tucker's two-out two-run triple to left center drove in Evan Smith and Nelson to put the Panthers up 7-3.
Bridgewater cut the deficit to two runs again with two runs in the sixth to make it 7-5. The Panthers came right back in their half of the sixth with two runs to make it 9-5. The Panthers took advantage of two Eagle errors in the inning.
The Panthers broke the game open with four runs in the seventh and four more in the eighth for the 17-5 score. Tucker, Statler and Brandon Mahoney all had run-scoring singles in the seventh. In the eighth, Langley's two-run triple to right centher highlighted the inning.
The Panthers play at Emory on Thursday before hosting Heidelberg on Sunday. Game time Sunday is 2 p.m.
Panthers drop doubleheader to Denison
March 4, 2006
Denison University opened its 2006 season by sweeping LaGrange College on Saturday at Cleaveland Field. Denison took the first game 7-4 and the second game 11-9. The losses dropped the Panthers to 8-4 on the season.
Denison took advantage of nine walks issued by Panther pitching in the first game. The Panthers issued six walks in the final two innings, as the Big Red rallied from a 3-2 deficit.
Joey Merrifield started the first game for the Panthers. He pitched seven innings, leaving with a 3-2 lead. Merrifield struck out four and walked three. One of the two runs he allowed was unearned.
Trailing 2-0, the Panthers got runs in the third and fifth to tie the game. Jose Navarro scored on Jimmy Statler's sacrifice bunt in the third.
The Panthers turned a triple play in the top of the fifth. A.J. Jezierski singled to lead off the inning and Lee Fischer reached on an error. Chris Rios hit a grounder to Seth Tucker at third, who stepped on the bag for the first out. He relayed to Navarro at second, who threw to Brandon Mahoney at first to complete the play.
The Panthers tyed the game in the bottom of the inning on Michael Sims's sacrifice bunt, scoring Tucker. Sims' two-out RBI single in the sixth put the Panthers up 3-2.
Denison took the lead back with two runs in the top of the eighth. The Big Red added three more in the ninth to up its lead to 7-3. The Panthers got an RBI single from Jimmy Statler in the bottom of the ninth for the 7-4 final.
In the second game, Denison rocked starter Jeremy Dockins for seven runs in five innings. The Big Red hit three home runs, including two by Chris Day, to build a 7-3 lead.
The Panthers trailed 9-3 heading into the bottom of the sixth. They got three runs back in the inning. Patrick Langley drove in a run with a base hit. Navarro had a two-out two-run single to make it 9-6.
The Panthers tied the game in the eighth inning. Navarro singled to left with runners on first and second. The ball got past left fielder Brandon McAdams, as two runs scored on the play. Navarro later scored on Nick Nelson's sacrifice fly, tying the game 9-9.
But Denison pushed across two runs in the top of the ninth off Justin Phelps (0-1) to take the win. Troy Testerman got Mahoney to line into a game-ending double play in the bottom of the inning.
The Panthers had a streak of 50 stolen bases without being caught end in the second game. Sims was thrown out in the third inning to end the streak, which went back to the final game of last season.
The Panthers host Bridgewater on Monday beginning at 3 p.m.
Panthers sweep Sewanee
Feb. 26, 2006
LaGrange College swept Sewanee at Cleaveland Field on Sunday. The Panthers took the first game 7-1 and completed the sweep in the nightcap 9-1. The Panthers improved to 8-2 on the season, while the Tigers dropped to 0-4.
The two teams were forced to play a doubleheader after rain washed out the weekend series opener Saturday. It was the second straight week the Panthers had a game rained out on Saturday.
Joey Merrifield (4-1) went the distance in the opener Sunday. He scattered six hits, allowed the one run and struck out seven. It was his second complete game of the season.
Freshman Brandon Mahoney gave Merrifield all the runs he needed in the first inning. Mahoney hit a two-out two-run home run with Michael Sims on base to put the Panthers up 2-0. Mahoney's blast was the Panthers' first home run of the season.
Sewanee closed the gap to 2-1 in the fourth. Chris Petrucka's two-out single scored Taylor Burns.
The Panthers came back with a run in the fourth and another in the fifth to up their lead to 4-1. Mahoney's ground out in the fourth scored Sims for the second time in the game. In the fifth, Jimmy Statler drove in Rod Durden with a two-out base hit.
The Panthers closed out the scoring with three runs in the sixth. Durden had a two-run single in the inning as the Panthers took advantage of two Tiger errors. Durden had three of the Panthers' nine hits in the game.
In the second game, the Panthers used four different pitchers to hold the Tigers to just three hits. The Panthers issued eight walks in the game, but were able to pitch around them. The Panthers also turned two double plays to kill Sewanee rallies.
Jeremy Dockins pitched three scoreless innings to start the game. Kevin Finnegan (2-0) allowed a run in three innings and picked up the win. Ryan Lanford had two scoreless innings an Jacob Sanders closed out the game with a perfect ninth inning.
The Panthers scored a run in the third and another in the fourth to go up 2-0. Statler drove in Seth Tucker in the third with a single for the game's first run. Mahoney doubled to lead off the fourth and scored on Jesse Brown's base hit.
The Panthers broke it open with three runs in the fifth. Durden led off the inning with a double. Durden scored on a Tiger error after Tucker beat out a bunt hit. Sims and Mahoney added run-scoring singles later in the inning to put the Panthers up 5-0.
The Panthers added a run in the seventh and three more in the eighth to close out the scoring. Steven Cheney had an RBI single in the seventh. In the eighth, Ross Caton and Evan Smith each drove in a run with a base hit.
The Panthers had 15 hits in the second game. Tucker led the way with three hits. Sims, Mahoney and Durden each had two hits.
The Panthers host Denison (Ohio) on Saturday in a doubleheader beginning at noon.
Panthers down Oglethorpe
Feb. 23, 2006
ATLANTA- LaGrange College broke a tie in the seventh inning and held on for a 9-8 win over Oglethorpe on Thursday. The Panthers upped their record to 6-2 with their second win of the season over the Stormy Petrels (3-7).
The Panthers had leads of 5-0 and 7-2 but Oglethorpe took advantage of several miscues to tie the game. The Panthers committed four errors in the game, resulting in seven unearned runs.
With the score tied at 7, the Panthers pushed across two runs in the top of the seventh. Oki Teo and Michael Sims led off the inning with back-to-back singles. Rod Durden followed with a bunt hit and a throwing error on the play allowed Teo to score to put the Panthers up 8-7. Nick Nelson's two-out base hit scored Sims, upping the Panthers lead to 9-7.
Oglethorpe got an unearned run back in the bottom of the inning to cut the Panthers' lead to 9-8. Jacob Sanders came on with one out and shut down the Stormy Petrels. He struck out five in 2-1/3 innings to get his first save of the season.
Sanders was the last of six Panther pitchers in the game. Kevin Finnegan started the game, pitching three scoreless innings. Justin Phelps (1-0) picked up the win.
Sims led the Panthers' 14-hit attack with four hits and three runs scored. Teo and Jesse Brown each had two hits.
The Panthers host the University of the South on Saturday and Sunday. Game time is 1 p.m. each day.
Methodist sweeps doubleheader from Panthers
Feb. 19, 2006
Methodist College handed LaGrange College its first two losses of the season with a sweep of a doubleheader Sunday at Cleaveland Field. The Monarchs (4-1) took the first game 3-1 and the second game 8-3. The Panthers are 5-2 on the season.
Game 1
Methodist's Ryan Brandt pitched a complete game in beating the Panthers 3-1. He scattered seven hits, did not walk a batter and struck out three. Brandt was backed up by three double plays turned by the Monarchs.
Joey Merrifield (3-1) took the loss for the Panthers. He pitched seven innings, allowing the three runs, two of the runs were earned. Merrifield allowed six hits and struck out six. Kevin Finnegan pitched two scoreless innings of relief.
Methodist got an unearned run in the first inning to go up 1-0. The Monarchs added a run in the fourth on Michael Carter's two-out RBI single to go up 2-0.
The Panthers scored their only run in the sixth. Michael Sims opened the inning with an opposite field double. He scored one out later on Jimmy Statler's run-scoring base hit to make it 2-1.
Methodist added an insurance run in the seventh to lead 3-1. Mark Weadon led off with a single and came around to score on Jonathan Spivey's base hit.
The Panthers had other scoring chances in the game. They hit into double plays to end three innings with runners in scoring position.
Oki Teo had three of the Panthers' seven hits. Matt Hunt had two hits for Methodist.
Game 2
Methodist broke open a tight game with a four-run seventh inning and went on to an 8-3 win. The Monarchs had three different players with two RBIs, while Dustin Proctor had three hits. Michael Sims had two hits, including a double, for the Panthers.
The Panthers took a 1-0 lead in the second. Teo walked to lead off the inning. He moved up on an errant pick off throw and a base hit. Teo scored on Nick Nelson's suicide squeeze bunt.
Methodist tied the game in the top of the third off starter and loser Jeremy Dockins (0-1). Mark Weadon led off with a double and later scored on Michael Ellsworth's suicide squeeze bunt.
The Monarchs took a 2-1 lead in the top of the fifth. Proctor's triple scored Spivey, who had led off the inning with a bunt single.
Methodist chased Dockins in the seventh with a four-run rally to go up 6-1. The Monarchs added two runs in the ninth to increase their lead to 8-1.
The Panthers got two runs in the ninth without benefit of a hit. Nelson scored on a balk and pinch-runner Patrick Langley scored on Sims' sacrifice fly for the 8-3 final score.
Methodist's Adam Denning pitched into the ninth to get the win. He allowed the three runs, while striking out four and walking two.
The Panthers play at Oglethorpe on Thursday, Feb. 23 beginning at 5 p.m. They host Sewanee on Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 25-26.
Unbeaten Panthers edge Atlanta Christian
Feb. 14, 2006
LaGrange College remained unbeaten with a 6-5 win over Atlanta Christian College at Cleaveland Field on Tuesday. Evan Smith's base hit in the bottom of the ninth lifted the Panthers' season record to 5-0. It was the season opener for the Chargers.
Atlanta Christian had rallied in the top of the ninth to tie the game. Trailing 5-3, the Chargers got a lead off walk from Louie Leake off reliever Justin Phelps. Joey Merrifield relieved Phelps after Leake's walk. Merrifield got two outs, but a wild pitch and a clutch hit from Jonathan Roesel plated two runs, tying the game 5-5.
In the Panthers' half of the ninth, Seth Tucker led off by reaching on an error by reliever and loser Bryan Young. He stole second and moved over to third on Jimmy Statler's bunt single. Jesse Brown was intentionally walked to load the bases. Smith came up and punched a single past a drawn in infield, scoring Tucker with the winning run.
The Panthers had taken a 3-0 after three innings. Michael Sims led off the first with an infield hit, stole second and stole third before scoring on Tucker's ground out. In the third, Sims had an RBI single, while Jimmy Statler drove in a run later in the inning with a sacrifice fly.
The Chargers touched starter Jacob Sanders for two runs in the fourth inning, but ran themselves out of a possible bigger inning. The Chargers had two runs already in, the bases loaded and only one out. Josh Usury was picked off third base for the second out and Sims threw out Chris Thomason trying to score from second on a base hit to center to end the inning.
In the fifth inning, Rod Durden threw out Preston Ready at home from left field to end the inning. The Chargers' Zach Welch was thrown out trying to turn a botched pickoff play into a stolen base in the sixth.
The Panthers got the two runs back in their half of the fourth. With two outs and runners on the corners, Rod Durden hit a grounder to Welch at third base. Welch's throw to first was low and skipped away. Oki Teo scored on the play as did Nick Nelson all the way from first to make it 5-2.
Atlanta Christian got a run in the seventh off Phelps, before the rally in the ninth to tie the game. Sanders allowed two runs in four innings of work. Seth Harris worked two scoreless innings.
The Panthers host Methodist College on Saturday beginning at 1 p.m. and Sunday beginning at noon.
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