KANNAPOLIS, N.C. – The Piedmont University baseball team used a 6-run fourth inning to defeat Pfeiffer on Friday at the D3 Showcase in Kannapolis, N.C. The Lions remain undefeated at 4-0 this season behind more quality pitching.
Zeke Swartz earned the start and the win as he tossed six innings, allowing five hits, one unearned run, and struck out nine batters. Braden Simms entered to face the final batter of the game after Layne Ayers threw 2.2 of quality work. Simms earned his third save of the season through four games.
The Falcons threatened in the second inning with back-to-back hits, but Swartz sat down the next two batters with a pair of strikeouts to end the inning. Pfeiffer was the first to strike with a run in the third after an error to begin the inning.
Trailing 1-0 in the bottom of the third, Piedmont began to come to life after a pair of hit-by pitches and a walk loaded the bases, but the Lions were unable to strike until the fourth. In the fourth inning, Ben Connelly drove in the tying run as Cody Funk scored, and a Cole Ellis double later in the frame sent Connelly home to take the lead.
That forced a pitching change but the Lions were able to tack on four more in the inning to score six runs on four hits and a pair of errors with two stolen bases added in the mix.
Swartz worked a clean 1-2-3 fifth and allowed just one hit in the sixth before Layne Ayers took over to begin the seventh. Ayers pitched 2.2 innings out of the pen in his first appearance as a Lion, allowing one unearned run on a pair of hits with two strikeouts.
Pfeiffer looked to be threatening in the ninth inning after bringing in one run with the bases still loaded, but Piedmont’s closer Simms got the job done against the one batter he faced to end the contest and secure the win.
Piedmont had just two hits offensively after the fourth inning, but quality pitching eliminated the need for additional offense.
Up next, Piedmont will face Susquehanna on Saturday at 11 a.m.
TURNING POINT:
– A six-run fourth inning proved to be the difference in this one, as the Lions scored six on four hits and a pair of errors.
STANDOUT PERFORMANCES:
– Zeke Swartz has not allowed an earned run through a pair of starts now as he went six complete and struck out nine.
– Ben Connelly continued his impressive start to his career as the only Lion to post more than one hit, going 2-for-4 with a run scored and an RBI.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE:
– This is the first time the Lions have begun the year 4-0 since the 2015 season.
