DEMOREST – The No. 3 Piedmont University baseball team is set to face No. 4 LaGrange in the opening round of the Collegiate Conference of the South tournament at Maryville College on Wednesday, May 8 at 7 p.m.
Piedmont is in game three, the final game of the day, so game time is anticipated for a 7 p.m. approximate start.
The Lions were 25-15 overall this season with a 12-6 mark in league play including a 2-1 series record against its opening round opponent LaGrange.
LAST TIME OUT:
Piedmont 8, Maryville 7 (5/4/24 in Maryville, Tenn.)
After trailing 6-0 entering the seventh inning, Piedmont baseball used a late rally to come from behind and defeat Maryville in the regular season finale, 8-7. The Lions did not score until the seventh and used a monster 7-run eighth inning to earn the win.
After Adam Metivier left following the third inning, Tyner Simpson surrendered two runs in the fifth, giving Maryville a 6-0 lead.
In the sixth, the Lions began to utilize pinch hitters to see if it could provide a spark and in the seventh, the Lions were able to tack on one after Jack Gilsenan scored on an error by the catcher.
It wasn’t untll the eighth inning that the spark ignited to an inferno as Piedmont was able to score seven runs on just three hits combined with three walks, a hit by pitch and two errors.
REGULAR SEASON V. LAGRANGE
Piedmont 11, LaGrange 0 F/7; LaGrange 11, Piedmont 9; Piedmont 8, LaGrange 5 (4/19-20/24 in LaGrange, Ga.)
In the series opener at LaGrange, Piedmont won in commanding fashion in an 11-0 contest decided in seven innings. Piedmont starter Zeke Swartz tossed the complete game for the win allowing just two hits to the Panthers.
Saturday saw the two team’s play a doubleheader, earning a split at LaGrange dropping the first contest 11-9 before rebounding with an 8-5 victory in game two.
Tyler Nelson was one of four Lions to post two hits in game one and led Piedmont with four RBI. Braden Simms pitched the final two innings of game two without allowing a run and just two hits.
PIEDMONT NOTES:
—Trace Cate leads Piedmont this season with a .380 batting average and 63 hits, which leads the league in total hits this year.
—Zeke Swartz leads Piedmont with a 2.83 ERA and 79 strikeouts.
—Braden Simms has 12 saves this season which leads the CCS posting a 1.53 ERA.
