DEMOREST, Ga. – LaGrange swept a doubleheader and a USA South series from Piedmont. The Panthers beat the Lions 15-7 and 6-5 on Saturday at Loudermilk Field to finish a three-game sweep of their USA South series.
LC (20-7, 12-1 USA South) extended its winning streak to 12 games, the longest streak since the 2017 season. The Panthers will host Brevard or Piedmont in the division tournament next week. The series schedule has not been set.
Game 1
The Panthers jumped out to a 9-1 lead after two innings. Piedmont (20-14, 7-6 USA South) came back to cut LC's lead to 10-7. The Panthers put the game of reach by hitting three home runs during a five-run ninth inning.
Cael Chatham had three hits, including his team-leading sixth home run in extending his hitting streak to 18 games. Jack Layrisson had his fourth home run of the season included in his three hits and drove in three runs. Trey Pearce hit his second home and had four RBIs.
Dalton Brooks started on the mound for LC. In 4-1/3 innings, he allowed the seven runs, only three were earned, while walking five and striking out six. Jack Richards (2-0) picked up the win with 1-1/3 innings of relief. Brett Caneega had a strong outing, pitching the final 3-1/3 innings, allowing a hit and striking out four.
LC got four runs in the first inning and five more in the second to build a 9-1 lead. Chatham, McKinley Erves, and Jared Aldridge all had run scoring singles in the first. The Panthers needed only two hits in the second to add five more runs, taking advantage of four walks. Layrisson had a two-run double and Rhett Hebert a two-run single in the inning.
The Panthers put on a power show in the ninth. Chatham hit a solo home run with one out. After an RBI single by Erves; Pearce and Layrisson went deep back-to-back to open up a 15-7 lead.
Game 2
LC pushed across the go-ahead run in the top of the ninth to finish the sweep. The Panthers took advantage of the fifth Piedmont error of the game in the inning.
Cael Chatham had his 18-game hitting streak end in the game but opened the ninth by reaching first on an error after striking out. E.J. Churchich walked and both runners moved up as Erves grounded out to second. Chatham scored the go-ahead run when Pearce grounded out to short.
Spencer Douches (2-1) retired the Lions in order in their half of the ninth to close out the game. Douches had given up the tying run on a two-out hit in the eighth.
Michael Menheart allowed two runs in 2-2/3 innings. J.R. Robinson followed and allowed two unearned runs in two innings. Tanner Chafin threw 2-1/3 scoreless innings.
The Panthers built a 4-0 lead by the third inning. Rhett Mixon led off the game with a triple and scored on a passed ball. Joe Ruth doubled and later scored on Churchich's RBI single for a 2-0 lead. In the second, Hebert's run-scoring single made it 3-0. Erves had a hit in the third and Churchich came around to score on an error on the play.
The Panthers finished with eight hits, the first time in nine games held under 10. Mixon and Layrisson each had two hits.