LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN -- The Covenant baseball team rallied from two deficits, but could not overcome No. 6-ranked LaGrange in an 11-9 loss in the series opener on a chilly Friday afternoon on Lookout Mountain.

Covenant (8-11, 0-4 USA South) and LaGrange (19-1, 4-0 USA South) will complete the series with a doubleheader on Saturday starting at noon.

LaGrange busted out to a 5-0 lead after one-and-a-half innings as the Panthers scored three runs in the first and two in the second, thanks to home runs from Cael Chatham and Matt Eden.

Covenant responded with a six-run second inning to grab a 6-5 lead.

The Scots batted around in the inning as Josh Harvey had an RBI single before Ken Burke worked a bases-loaded walk, one of 10 walks the Scots were issued on the day. Zeke Gilbert delivered a two-run double to make it 5-4 and Tyler Cox tied the game with an RBI ground out. Joseph Ridenour capped the frame with a two-out RBI single that plated Gilbert giving the Scots a one-run lead.

LaGrange regained the lead in the seesaw affair with single runs in the fourth and fifth innings. The visiting Panthers then took a 9-6 lead in the sixth as Joe Ruth led off the frame with a homer before LaGrange added another to make it 9-6.

The Scots would not go away quietly against the nationally-ranked foe. In the bottom of the sixth, Burke scored on a wild pitch and McKaleb Harlemon produced a run-scoring single to get Covenant within 9-8.

In the seventh, the Scots tied the score at 9-9 when Josh Harvey led off with a double and scored on a Brock RBI single.

LaGrange took the lead for good in the eighth with two runs. The Scots had an opportunity in the home half of the inning with bases loaded and one out, but LaGrange reliever Jacob Brown retired the next two Scots to end the threat.

Ridenour, Harlemon, and Harvey all had two hits apiece for the Scots as Covenant tallied nine hits in the game. Jack Layrisson was 4-for-5 to lead the LaGrange 16-hit attack.

LaGrange reliever Ashton Shackelford (2-0) picked up the win, while Brown got the save. Bryce Bollinger made the start for the Scots and went 4.2 innings with four strikeouts. Austin Clark (0-2) picked up the loss.

UP NEXT

Covenant and LaGrange play a doubleheader on Saturday at 12 p.m.

CONNECT WITH THE SCOTS

Be sure to follow the Scots all season long on athletics.covenant.edu and on social media at Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for up-to-date scores, news and other information.