The dust has settled, the numbers are finalized, and it’s official – Zeke Swartz is among the top pitchers in Piedmont Lions’ history.
Consider the stats: 19-5 overall record as a starter, appearing in 43 games (41 starts). The southpaw’s win total has him tied at third in program history, and same for the starting nods. His 3.38 ERA is fantastic, and his 260 strikeouts also sits third all-time at Piedmont. He’s ninth in innings pitched at 231.2, and first all-time in batting average against – .216.
“It’s what I set out to do from the very beginning,” says Zeke. “I wanted to be the best player I could possibly be for the four years I was at Piedmont. I wanted to leave everything out on the field and know when it was all said and done, I gave it everything I had.”
This past season was his best yet, as he naturally progressed each season since arriving from Union County. See the year-by-year marks below. He really took his game to a new level as a junior in 2024 with a 2.76 ERA and 5-2 record with 89 strikeouts. He followed that with a senior year of 6-1 with a 1.96 ERA and 84 K, earning All-American honors by D3 Baseball and ABCA/Rawlings. He was also named Collegiate Conference of the South Pitcher of the Year after leading the Lions to a 27-15 record.
“Honestly, I didn’t think I had put up the amount of innings and numbers for the All-American Honors,” Zeke admits. “I was extremely surprised, but also grateful. All that hard work put in on and off the field was recognized.”
YEAR
W-L
ERA
K
IP
APP
2025
6-1
1.96
84
69.0
11-11
2024
5-2
2.76
89
75.0
13.13
2023
6-1
4.84
68
70.2
14-13
2022
2-1
5.82
19
17.0
5-4
–
19-5
3.38
260
231.2
43-41
While the numbers are eye-popping, you can’t put a number on the memories, relationships, and experiences for Zeke at Piedmont. His top moment came in a game that was not even official, but speaks to the importance of making memories with teammates.
“My favorite moment as a Lion to this day happened in the fall of my sophomore year during an inter-squad,” he recalls. “We were in the last inning and we had a rule where each team could select a pitcher to hit if they needed it. I was in the press box keeping score of the game and was called out to hit, walked down, hit a 3-run homerun and then proceeded to head right back up to the press box!”
The Business Marketing major just graduated in May, and has a world of possibilities ahead of him.
“As for my future plans, I plan on continuing my landscaping company with one of my hometown friends,” states Swartz. “Baseball will always hold a special place in my heart.”
Swartz shined at Union County as a 2021 grad for the Panthers. He was 6-6 with a 2.71 ERA and 109 K as a senior, also batting .402 with a homer and 33 RBI. He went 2-0 with a save and a 1.00 ERA as a junior with 16 K in the COVID-shortened season. In his sophomore season, we hit .360 with 16 RBI, and went 5-1 with a 0.75 ERA and 71 K across 56 innings. Those totals gave him a 13-7 W-L mark with a save and a miniscule 1.45 ERA, striking out 196 batters while batting around .375 with a homer and 49 RBI.
