Panthers avoid sweep by Piedmont with 6-3 win
April 20, 2008

LaGrange avoided a sweep of its GSAC series with 10th-ranked Piedmont with a 6-3 win Sunday at Cleaveland Field. The win upped the Panthers' overall record to 22-17 and 4-5 in GSAC play. The Lions slipped to 29-9 and 7-2 in conference play.

The Panthers got a strong pitching start from Nick Vitale. Vitale raised his record to 5-1 by going seven innings. He allowed three runs, all unearned, scattered seven hits, walked three and struck out one. Jonathan Chapman pitched two scoreless innings to record his fourth save of the season. Chapman struck out three and retired six of the seven batters he faced.

The Panthers had 13 hits in the game, with five different Panthers having two hits. Brandon Mahoney was the only Panther starter without a hit but drove in two runs.

Mahoney drove in both of his runs as part of a three-run first inning by the Panthers. Michael Sims led off the inning with a single. He stole second and scored on Patrick Langley's base hit. Langley went to third on Cory Matticola's double. Mahoney followed with a long drive to deep center. Piedmont's Travis Hunt made the catch while hitting the wall. Langley scored easily and Matticola came all the way around from second to score to put the Panthers up 3-1.

The Lions tied the game in the third with a pair of unearned runs. The Panthers answered in their half of the inning. Seth Tucker opened the inning with a double and Langley reached on an infield hit. Matticola followed with the third straight hit of the inning to drive in Tucker. Langley scored as Mahoney hit into a double play to put the Panthers up 5-3.

The Panthers added an insurance run in the fourth inning. The Panthers loaded the bases with three straight base hits by Jose Navarro, Corbin Clinage and Sims. Navarro scored when Tucker hit into a double play.

The Panthers close out the regular season Tuesday with Senior Night against Atlanta Christian. Nine Panthers will play their final home game.