The Covenant College baseball team needed a doubleheader sweep of LaGrange in order to get its first CCS series win of the year. The Scots did just that thanks to a total team effort in both games.
Game 1 Final: Covenant 9, LaGrange 8 LaGrange opened the scoring in the first inning with a RBI sacrifice-fly to left field. Covenant responded in the bottom of the frame with a 2-RBI single from Cody Gibson and a bases-loaded walk to go up 3-1.
David Smigelski opened up the second inning with a leadoff home run for the Panthers to make it a one run game. LaGrange added another run in the third inning and made it tied once again. In the fourth inning, LaGrange poked a RBI single to center field to take a 4-3 lead.
Covenant took back the lead for good in the fourth inning as Chris Savage knocked a RBI single to left field before another bases-loaded walk scored another run. The Scots made it 9-4 in the sixth inning as Kenny Mills scored on a wild pitch, Daniel Bell and Benjamin Johnson delivered RBI singles, and Harrison Adelgren hit into a RBI groundout.
Two hits and a couple of infield errors for the Scots allowed the Panthers to make it 9-8 in the ninth inning.
With the tying run on second base, RHP Johnathan Glover struck out the final batter to end the game.
Covenant outhit LaGrange 12-8. The Scots committed three errors while the Panthers had none. Zeke Gilbert (3-for-5), Savage (2-for-4, 1 RBI), and Kolby Kimberly (2-for-4, 2 RBI) led the Scots offensively. RHP Zach Barrett (5 IP, 5 H , 4 ER, 4 BB, 3 K) picked up the win while RHP Zach Tolleson(3.2 IP, 3 H, 4 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 4 K) pitched well in relief. Glover (0.1 IP, 1 K) earned the save.
Game 2 Final: Covenant 7, LaGrange 5 After two scoreless innings, LaGrange went ahead 1-0 in the third inning on a RBI groundout.
The Panthers extended the lead to 2-0 in the fifth inning on a RBI sacrifice-fly. LaGrange attempted another sacrifice-fly later that inning, but Kimberly threw out a runner at home plate from left field to get the double play and end the threat.
After making a big play in the field, Kimberly followed that up with a 2-RBI single in the fifth inning to tie the game. The next batter was Gibson, who crushed a 2-run home run to left field to give Covenant the lead.
Kenny Mills made it 5-2 in the sixth inning with a RBI sacrifice-fly to center field. A lead off home run from Adam Dorn led to a three-run inning for the Panthers in the eighth inning to tie the game back up. Savage delivered what turned out to be the game-winning hit in the eighth inning, a two-run home run to left field. RHP Aeden Beuning retired the Panthers in order in the ninth inning.
Covenant moves to 19-26 all-time against LaGrange. The Scots outhit the Panthers 13-8. Covenant committed three errors while LaGrange committed one. Gibson (3-for-5, 2 RBI, HR), Savage (2-for-4, 2 RBI, HR), Gilbert (2-for-4, BB), and Adelgren (2-for-5) all had multi-hit games for Covenant. RHP Scotty Smith (6 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 4 BB, 3 K) had a strong outing for the Scots. Beuning earned the win (2 IP, 1 H, 1 BB, 2 K), pitching two scoreless innings.
Covenant hosts Berry on Tuesday afternoon at 3 p.m.