Centre drops doubleheader to LaGrange College

The Centre College baseball team traveled to LaGrange College to play a double header over two days, Saturday, March 17 and Sunday, March 18 at Cleaveland Field in LaGrange, Georgia. Centre lost the first game 14-4 after LaGrange scored in almost every inning. The game the next day was closer, but LaGrange won 9-3 after scoring four runs late in the game.

LaGrange's defense was sharp as they kept Centre scoreless until the top of the eighth. LaGrange brought in runs early in the game as it scored two in the first two innings. The Panthers increased their lead to 9-0 in the top of the third when they drove in five runs. While they were kept quiet in the fourth, they came back in the fifth and six innings brining in one run each inning.

Centre had a brief moment to rally late in the game. In the top of the eighth Centre finally got on the board when freshmen Jose Ordonez (Boston, Mass.) drove home sophomore Ryan Smith (Crestwood, Ky.). Freshmen John Starks (Russellville, Ky.) sacrificed and out and got freshmen Justin Basham (Bowling Green, Ky.) home for another run. Finally, sophomore Jeffrey Williams (Knoxville, Tenn.) tripled and got freshmen Drew Allison (Gordon, Ky.) and sophomore Derrick Shepherd (Gray Hawk, Ky.) home to bring the score to 11-4. Centre looked like it could countinue it's comeback until the bottom of the eighth when the Panthers brought in three runs to finish off the Colonels. Centre was not able to get any hits in its last turn at bat and the game ended 14-4.

Three pitchers had their turn at the mound in the game for the Colonels. Junior John Herbert (Louisville, Ky.) started and pitched the first five innings. He allowed 14 hits and 10 runs but came away with three strikeouts. He was replaced by senior Lance Sizmore (Batavia, Ohio) who pitched the next two innings. Sizmore allowed one run and two hits. Williams finished the game for Centre and allowed three runs and two hits.

The LaGrange pitchers struck out 10 Centre batters. Williams was the only Centre player to have a multiple hit game. He also batted in multiple runners.

Centre had a slow start in the second game as they were kept scoreless in the opening innings. It was LaGrange in the top on the third that started the scoring when it brought in three runs. Centre answered with two runs in the top of the fourth to keep the game close. Senior Kyle Rakes (Ashland, Ky.) doubled and drove home senior Eric Moore (Bowling Green, Ky.). Williams batted Rakes home on the next hit to get the game to 3-2. LaGrange jumped up by one in the next inning but again Centre fought to keep the game close and got a run in the top of the fifth to make it 4-3. Junior Ben Jeffers (New Albany, Ohio) flied out but got Ordonez home for the run. LaGrange pulled ahead again in the top of the fifth when it added two more runs and began to creep away from Centre. The Panthers finished the game in the bottom of the seventh when they scored four more runs.

Basham started for Centre and pitched the first six innings. He allowed five runs off eight hits. He also struck out six LaGrange players. Freshmen Aaron Herbert (Louisville, Ky.) only pitched the part of the seventh until being replaced by senior Johnny Karnes (Labanon, Ohio). Karnes finished the game and allowed only one hit.

Centre's offense looked better as six different players got hits. Williams, Rakes and Moore all had multiple hit games.

Centre, 6-7, will continue it's road trip when it travels to Piedmont College in Demorest Georgia Tuesday, March 20 at 7:00 p.m.