For the fourth time in the last five years, the Piedmont College softball team has claimed a regular season conference championship, taking a share of the USA South West Division title with a sweep of Maryville Sunday.
The Lady Lions won 1-0 and 6-5 with the second victory coming on a walk-off single by AUDREY ESAKOFF.
Game one was a pitcher’s duel as SARAH WALKER came out on the winning side moving to 12-8 on the season giving up just three hits and striking out five batters. The only run of the contest came when JOSIE COKER singled in a pinch hitting appearance in the fourth inning to bring across ALEXIS OWENS giving PC the 1-0 lead.
Game two was a back-and-forth battle as Piedmont was the first to strike in the third inning with two runs scored on four hits and an error, but the Scots answered in the fourth inning with a single run and knotted it up at two in the fifth.
Piedmont put another two runs across in the bottom of the fifth, but the next half inning, the Scots answered yet again to tie the game at four. The Lady Lions took the lead in the bottom of the sixth on a HALEY HIXON double to left field scoring Kory Best making it 5-4.
A lead-off homer to left center by the Scots’ Strambler tied it once again at five, but the Lady Lions used a double, a walk and a single to win in walk-off fashion and send the team out to the plate to celebrate another regular season title.
Turning Point
—JOSIE COKER singled to score the lone run of the game in the first contest while SARAH WALKER held the Scots to just three hits.
—AUDREY ESAKOFF singled to score JOSIE COKER for the walk-off game winner in game two, sealing Piedmont’s share of the USA South West Division title.
Standout Performances
—JOSIE COKER singled in the game-winning run in a pinch hitting appearance in the first contest.
—MELISSA ECKMAN earned her 13th victory of the season in game two as she is second in the league standings in wins for 2017.
Inside the Box Score
–The Lady Lions finished the regular season 16-4 in the friendly confines of Walker Athletic Complex.
News & Notes
–Piedmont earned the #1 seed out of the West Division and will now face Maryville College once again in the USA South conference tournament first round.
Up Next
–The Lady Lions will host the first round of the USA South conference tournament with Maryville College visiting Demorest on Saturday.
How to Follow
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