ROCKY MOUNT, N.C. - The NC Wesleyan College Baseball team dropped two hard-luck games to USA South West Division rival LaGrange College in a cross-divisional matchup on Sunday afternoon from Bauer Field. LaGrange rallied from a three-run deficit to defeat the Bishops 12-9 in game one and then squeaked out a 2-1 pitcher's duel over Wesleyan in game two.

LaGrange, the West Division leader, improves to 14-1 overall while Wesleyan falls to 7-7. The games are considered non-conference. Both Schools open conference play next weekend.

GAME 2: LC 2, NCWC 1

Senior starter Drew Tubb led the Bishops in game tossing 7 shutout innings against the powerful Panthers. He allowed just two hits and 2 walks while striking out five and leaving with a 1-0 lead. Wesleyan got their lead in the third inning with a RBI double from junior CF Drifton Padgett that plated SS Javier Quintana.

However, freshman reliever Dylan Cheeley then gave up a game-tying solo home run in the 8th before allowing the go-ahead run to score in the 9th on an RBI single after a walk and a bunt single put two runners on. Wesleyan then put two runners on in the 9th with one out but could not push across the tying run in falling 2-1. Junior reliever Chandler Padgett then finished out the inning scoreless.

GAME 1: LC 12, NCWC 9

Wesleyan got out to 1-0 lead on a Jackson Hobbs RBI double in the third inning of game one. LC would tie the game on a solo home run in the 4th before the Bishops made it 3-1 in the 6th on a little league home run from Zach Lyon. Lyon's sky-high fly ball to left field was lost in the sun by the LC left fielder and dropped which help score Hobbs from first on the play while Lyon ran all the way around the base paths to score on the error.

After six solid innings from senior starter Derrick Carter, sophomore reliever Danny Thompson came on in the 7th and gave up 3 unearned runs including one on a bad throw as he attempted to throw out a potential sacrifice bunter. The Bishops, however, then rallied in the bottom of the 7th going ahead 5-4 on a Drifton Padgett home run before Lyon and an LC error help drive in two more Bishops as they took a 7-4 lead.

Unfortunately, LaGrange then put on a rally of their own scoring 4 runs in the 8th in 3 RBI singles and a passed ball off Thompson to lead 8-7. LC then scored three more unearned runs in the 9th off two Bishop fielding errors in the outfield and infield a they took a 12-7 lead. Senior reliever Kevin Williams gave up the three unearned runs on two hits and a walk in the ninth.

A Tyson Bass two-run homer in the ninth trimmed the Panther lead to three at 12-9 but it would not be enough on this day.  Bass, Hobbs, and 2B Davie Morgan all led the Bishops with multi-hit games.

The Bishops  (7-7) will next remain home to host VA Wesleyan on Wednesday at 2:00 from Bauer Field.