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The LaGrange baseball team stormed past Whitewater for a dominant 9-2 region win on Tuesday. It was a clinical display from the Grangers who put together what might have been their best game of the season and topped a formidable Whitewater team for the second night in a row. 

It was a total team effort but Tuesday night was the Cooper Stephens show. Under the bright lights of The Branch at Granger Park, Stephens delivered a masterful performance from the plate, going 3-for-3 with four RBIs, but it was his two home runs that stole the headlines. He launched his first out of the park in the first inning to give the Grangers a 5-0 lead. His second came on a solo shot in the third inning in what was a dominant showing from the sophomore who has elevated his game to new levels this season.

He was not the only Granger to heat up at the plate, Gryson Cockrell and Cole Garner got the Grangers off on the right foot with RBI singles in the bottom of the first. With LaGrange leading 2-0, Stephens hit one of the aforementioned home runs to give LaGrange a strong foothold in the game. 

The Wildcats chipped into the Granger lead with two runs in the top of the second, but it was barely a dent in the Grangers lead who added a run in the second and the third innings to stretch their lead back out to five runs. Garner delivered once again in the bottom of the second with an RBI single. Garner was a force offensively, going 2-for-4 with two RBIs and a run scored. 

Stephens hit his second home run in the third to make it 7-2 LaGrange. 

The Grangers were not done there, grabbing a couple insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth with Trey Cook scoring on a wild pitch and Robbie Parker doubling to send another run home. Cook provided instant offense from the top of the order, going 2-for-3 with three runs scored and a walk. 

Tanner Langley hit 2-for-3. Seth Stargell and Parker had a hit apiece. 

The hitting was dominant but so was the pitching for LaGrange. Trevor Booton is finding his groove on the mound and was sensational again on Tuesday, throwing a complete game while only allowing two hits and eight strikeouts. The Auburn commit has been a commanding presence for the Grangers so far this season. 

LaGrange is now 10-7 on the season. The Grangers are 3-1 in region play with another region game on Friday against Riverdale.