LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN -- Garrett Kriston threw a complete-game and Devin Cerrato went 3-for-4 with three runs to lead to the Covenant baseball team to a 5-2 victory over LaGrange on Friday afternoon in USA South action.
The win snaps a four-game losing streak for Covenant (6-4, 1-0 USA South) and keeps the Scots' perfect home record in tact. LaGrange drops to 8-4 overall and 0-1 in league play.
Covenant got on the board first with a run in the bottom of the first inning. Cerrato and Luke Harvey had back-to-back singles to start the frame and Cerrato later scored on a double play to give the Scots a 1-0 lead. In the third, Covenant added three runs to grab a 4-0 lead. Harvey drove in Stephen Kegley, who singled with one away, before Caleb Bloye brought in Cerrato with a bunt single. Alex Kerr capped with inning with a sharp single to center field to plate Harvey.
Those runs were all Kriston needed in his complete-game effort. The senior right-hander had a shutout through 5.2 innings before a Cain Sauls solo home run put LaGrange on the board in the sixth. Kriston (3-1) allowed just two runs on eight hits with five strikeouts on the day.
LaGrange cut the Scots' lead to 5-2 with a run in the eighth and were threatening for more, but Kriston induced a double play ball from Blake Butcher to get Covenant out of the inning. The Panthers put the leadoff runner on in the ninth, but Kriston shut the door to secure the win.
Kerr went 2-for-4 with two RBIs for Covenant, while Kegley was 2-for-3 with a run. Harvey and Bloye added a hit and RBI apiece.
Sauls was 3-for-4 with a home run and two RBIs for LaGrange. Starter Eric Morrell (3-1) gets the loss after allowing four earned runs on eight hits with five strikeouts in five innings of work.
UP NEXT
Covenant and LaGrange complete their three-game series on Saturday with a doubleheader starting at 12 p.m.
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