Demorest, GA- The Piedmont College baseball team finished their three-game series with fellow USA South Athletic Conference member North Carolina Wesleyan College this afternoon at Loudermilk Field completing the three game sweep winning 14-8. Michael Barnes would extend his hitting streak to 12 games Sunday afternoon going 3-for-6 with a game high 3 RBI.
The red-hot junior has extended innings and brought in runs for his team, leading the team in hits with 25 on the year and 17 RBI. The 17 RBI total is good enough to put Barnes in fourth place overall in the USA South Athletic Conference and just outside the top 5 with a .403 batting average.
Barnes has picked up atleast three hits in four of the 15 games this season. Rallying behind him, the Lions picked up a total of 20 hits in the final game of the series, and 50 hits as a team throughout the series, which marks the most by a Lions team since the NCAA Era started in 2005.
The 20-hit milestone marks the most hits from the Lions in a single game since April 28, 2012 against Huntingdon College. The Lions would lose that 2012 game 9-10 in 13 innings as Luke MacDonald took the loss that day, but would pick up the win Sunday moving to 2-0 this season.
Every batter for the Lions would pick up a hit with eight players adding two or more hits and atleast one RBI. Tying the three-hit mark set by Barnes was Casey Parham who went 3-for-5 with two runs and two RBI bringing his season total to 12.
Breck Davidson would add to his doubles totals on the year picking up his 8th of the season going 2-for-4 with 2 RBI for second-best on the team with 16. Davidson has picked up atleast one double in every series the Lions have played so far this season.
Josh Thomas would pick up the save on the mound for the Lions as the Battling Bishops made a late comeback tying the game up in the sixth 8-8. The Lions would extend their lead, but Thomas would enter the game in the top of the eighth with the bases loaded and one out.
A stellar play at the plate would prevent a run from scoring and put two outs on the board followed by a groundout to hold the lead for the Lions. In the ninth, Thomas would strikeout two and give up one hit securing the Lion victory and series sweep, picking up his second save of the season.
Thomas leads the Lions in seven different statistical categories as he currently sits first in the conference in E.R.A. with a spotless 0.00 with three wins and two saves, striking out 12 and giving up just a mere four hits holding opponents to a .089 batting average.
The Piedmont College baseball team currently sits tied for first in the conference with an 11-4 record tied with Huntingdon College. North Carolina Wesleyan College falls to 2-13 on the season and 2-10 in the USA South Athletic Conference.
The Lions will next head to Carry, North Carolina to play Christopher Newport in a neutral site game Tuesday, March 10 with game time to be announced. Fans are encouraged to stay in touch with all Piedmont College baseball information including schedule changes and results by visiting PiedmontLions.com.
