Medlock pitches Panthers past N.C. Wesleyan
April 2, 2008

ROCKY MOUNT, N.C. – LaGrange completed a sweep of N.C. Wesleyan with a 9-3 win Wednesday at Bauer Field. The win upped the Panther Bauer Field. The win upped the Panthers' record to 16-11, while the 23rd-ranked Battling Bishops fell to 21-9-1.

Eric Medlock (2-1) pitched the first complete game of the season for the Panthers. The junior scattered nine hits, did not allow an earned run, walked three and struck out one. It was the first complete game by a Panther since Justin Phelps beat Maryville on April 29 of last year in the GSAC Tournament.

A day after being held to six hits by Wesleyan pitching, the Panthers bounced back with 15 hits Wednesday. Michael Sims led the way with four hits, including a double. Cory Matticola, one of four Panthers with two hits, had a team-high three RBIs.

The Panthers jumped out to a 4-0 lead after two innings. In the first, Sims led off the game with a base hit. He moved over to third on two ground outs and scored on Matticola's base hit up the middle. The Panthers added three runs in the second. They loaded the bases with two outs. Seth Tucker drove in Blake Allen, who had led off the inning with a single. Patrick Langley capped the inning with a two-run single to right.

Wesleyan got an unearned run in the sixth inning to cut the Panthers' lead to 4-1. The Panthers answered with four runs in the top of the seventh to extend their lead to 8-1. They loaded the bases with no outs. Sims, who had led off the inning with a single, scored on Matticola's ground out to second. Tucker scored on a wild pitch as Robby Shelton reached on a walk. Langley scored on Allen's sacrifice bunt and Jesse Brown finished the inning with an RBI single.

Leading 8-3, the Panthers closed out the scoring in the eighth inning. Tucker singled with one out. He stole second, moved over to third on a ground out and scored on Matticola's hit to left center.

The Panthers continue their Spring Break trip on Thursday at Virginia Wesleyan in Norfolk, Va.