LAGRANGE, Ga. - The NC Wesleyan College baseball team dropped their first two games of their opening conference series at LaGrange College (Ga.) over the weekend. The Bishops first fell 7-1 on Saturday before dropping an 11-10 extra-inning thriller to the Panthers on Sunday in game 1 and a 6-4 loss in game two.
LC 11, NCWC 10, (10 innings)
The high-scoring game began with a 2-run single in the first inning from sophomore LF Zach Lyon. After LaGrange tied it, the Bishops would come back with 4 runs over the 4th and 5th innings to lead 6-2. Two separate RBI singles from senior catcher Nick Beaver as well as an RBI single from freshman CF Drifton Padgett and a sac bunt RBI from senior 3B Trey Posilero brought in the runs.
LC would then score 5 runs in the 5th inning off Bishop starter Derrick Carter to take a 7-6 lead. Carter tossed 4 innings allowing 6 hits and 7 runs on 5 walks and 2 strikeouts.
A Beaver sacrifice fly and senior Brad Pennington's RBI single then made it 8-7 Bishops heading to the 8th. After LaGrange took a 9-8 lead off junior reliever Kevin Williams in the 8th, Wesleyan scored the tying run in the 9th to force extras as Posilero came around to score on a passed ball.
In the 10th, Wesleyan took the lead on a RBI bunt groundout from 1B Jackson Murray scoring senior RF Max Johnson. However, LC would, unfortunately, rally for the win in the 10th off senior reliever Michael Smith.
Williams also threw 4 innings in relief of Carter allowing 4 hits and 2 runs with 4 strikeouts while Smith walked three and gave up 4 hits in the loss.
Outfielders Padgett and Lyon led the 14-hit Bishop attack knocking 3 hits apiece while Posilero and Beaver also recorded multi-hit games. The Bishops had 8 different players record hits as well.
Game 3: LC 6, NCWC 4
Wesleyan got out to a 2-0 lead early in game three on Sunday as Johnson drove in Pennington with his triple before DH Moses Vigo drove in Johnson on a groundout. After LaGrange tied it in the 3rd, Wesleyan would take a 3-2 lead in the 8th when Murray drove in Johnson with a single.
Unfortunately, the Panthers would then rally off two Bishop pitchers in the 8th for 4 runs on back-to-back doubles, an RBI single, and a wild pitch as LC took a 6-3 lead into the 8th. Wesleyan then added one in the 8th on a Pennington RBI single, but it would not be enough as the Bishops suffered their 4th straight loss.
Junior starter Drew Tubb tossed 7 very solid innings allowing just two runs until getting in trouble in the 8th. He finished the day throwing 7 and 1/3 frames allowing 4 runs on 7 hits with 5 walks and 7 strikeouts while freshman reliever Chandler Padgett allwoed the other 2 runs (1 earned). Senior Noah Shrock then came on to finish the inning with a strikeout.
Offensively the Bishops were led by a 3-hit game from D. Padgett and a two-hit game from Johnson while Posilero and Padgett knocked doubles as well.
LC 7, NCWC 1 (Saturday)
During Saturday's first game of the series, LaGrange used quality pitching to hold the Bishops to just one run for the win. Wesleyan scored their only run in the 8th as Lyon came around to score on a passed ball after drawing a walk.
Senior SS Alec Titmus led the offense with 3 hits on the day while Murray, Beaver, and Lyon also registered singles.
On the mound, junior starter Dylan Patrick threw 6 innings allowing 5 runs on 5 hits with 2 walks and 5 Ks. Junior Reliever Chris Day also threw a scoreless inning of relief.
Wesleyan falls to 2-7 on the year and 0-3 in the conference while the Panthers improve to 5-4, 3-0).
The Bishops will return home tomorrow to host Washington & Lee in a two-game set on Monday and Tuesday.