Tournament Preview: Piedmont Athletics Set for USA South Spring Festival

The 2019 USA South Athletic Conference Spring Festival is set to begin on Thursday, April 25, in LaGrange, Ga. as Piedmont College is represented in all seven sports competing.

For the second consecutive year, the Lions will be represented in baseball, softball, men’s golf, men’s and women’s lacrosse and men’s and women’s tennis.

Piedmont will be the No. 1 seed in baseball while the men’s and women’s tennis teams earned No. 1 seeds in the West Division.

Softball will be the No. 2 seed from the West and the men’s and women’s lacrosse team are each No. 3 seeds.

In what is perhaps the most difficult conference in the country for men’s golf, Piedmont will be the No. 6 seed.

Sports below are listed by start date and time.

Baseball – USA South Baseball Tournament Site

#1 Piedmont (29-8, 19-3) vs. #8 Covenant (16-20, 9-13)
When & Where: Thursday, April 24 @ 1:00 p.m. — Phil Williamson Stadium (LaGrange, Ga.)
Last Meeting: W, 16-10 (April 6, 2019)
Lions To Lookout For:
Brady Ballstadt (.411 avg., 62 hits, 53 runs, 21 stolen bases)
Sam Carpenter (8-0, 3.54 ERA, 82 strikeouts)

Men’s Golf – USA South Men’s Golf Tournament Site

When & Where: Thursday, April 25 – Highland Country Club (LaGrange, Ga.)
Tee Times: 9:00 a.m., 9:10 a.m., 9:20 a.m., 9:30 a.m., 9:40 a.m.
Lions To Lookout For:
Josh Desain (75.8 scoring avg., 70 low round)
Matthew Leemann (75.8 scoring avg., 71 low round)

Softball – USA South Softball Tournament Site

#2 (West) Piedmont (29-8, 14-2) vs. #3 (East) Salem (23-15, 10-8)
When & Where: Friday, April 26 @ 10:00 a.m. – Shuford Softball Complex (LaGrange, Ga.)
Last Meeting: L, 4-3 (March 22, 2017)
Lions To Lookout For:
Mariann Kennison (.491 avg., 56 hits, 49 runs, 8 home runs)
Hannah Hoban (.447 avg., 46 hits, 32 runs, 10 home runs)

Women’s Tennis – USA South Women’s Tennis Tournament Site

#1 (West) Piedmont (17-5, 8-0) vs. #4 (East) Meredith (6-9, 4-3)
When & Where: Friday, April 26 @ 12:30 p.m. – LaGrange College (LaGrange, Ga.)
Last Meeting: L, 6-3 (February 27, 2016)
Lions To Lookout For:
No. 1 Caroline Connelly (14-5 @ No.1, 15-5 overall)
No. 2 Morgan Buchholz (12-4 @ No. 2, 13-5 overall)

Women’s Lacrosse – USA South Women’s Lacrosse Tournament Site

#3 Piedmont (10-7, 8-3) vs. #2 Averett (13-4, 9-2)
When & Where: Friday, April 26 @ 1:00 p.m. – Callaway Stadium (LaGrange, Ga.)
Last Meeting: L, 13-12 (April 6, 2019)
Lions To Lookout For:
Cassidy Heflin (24 goals, 24 assists, 33 ground balls, 81 draw controls)
Emma Fransen (49 goals, 12 assists, 24 ground balls, 21 draw controls)

Men’s Tennis – USA South Men’s Tennis Tournament Site

#1 (West) Piedmont (14-7, 11-1) vs. TBA
When & Where: Saturday, April 27 @ 10:00 a.m. – Site TBD
Lions To Lookout For:
No. 4 Houston Medlock (7-6 @ No. 4, 12-8 overall)
No. 6 Andrew Chitty (10-3 @ No. 6, 15-3 overall)

Men’s Lacrosse – USA South Men’s Lacrosse Tournament Site

#3 Piedmont (7-8, 4-3) vs. #2 Methodist (9-6, 4-3)
When & Where: Saturday, April 27 @ 7:30 p.m. – Callaway Stadium (LaGrange, Ga.)
Last Meeting: L, 6-5 (April 20, 2019)
Lions To Lookout For:
#5 Brady Jenks (42 goals, 10 assists)
#40 Zach Czulada (9.93 goals against average, .617 save percentage)