Staunton, VA – The Lady Lions picked up a pair of shutouts Friday against the Fighting Squirrels of Mary Baldwin in a rescheduled doubleheader from earlier in the season. Piedmont took both games in shutout fashion with a 12-0 final in five innings in the opener and an 8-0 win in game two.
On the mound for the Lady Lions in game one was Sarah Walker who picked up the victory and entered in relief in the second game. Walker entered in relief of Avery Migues who recorded her first victory of the year in game two.
In the doubleheader Piedmont combined for 20 runs and 28 hits, one of their most impressive performances of the season behind only the doubleheader against Meredith College. This marked the second straight doubleheader sweep for the Lady Lions and their fifth of the season.
Game one: Piedmont 12, Mary Baldwin 0 F/5
The Lady Lions plated runs in each of the five innings played in game one on their way to a 12-0 shutout of Mary Baldwin cut short by the mercy rule. While the bats were hot, Sarah Walker was dynamite on the mound as well giving up just four hits, no walks and striking out eight batters.
Piedmont had a total of 15 hits in the game all coming off the same pitcher for the Fighting Squirrels as the damage started early for the Lady Lions. The ladies in Green and Gold scored twice in the first inning on only a single hit after there were a pair of walks in the inning as well.
Both Abby Atkinson and Abby Smith scored in the first and Becka Ross got right back to it in the top of the second with a lead-off homer over the left field wall making it 3-0 PC. With two outs in the inning, a pair of doubles by Atkinson and Laura Carter brought Atkinson around to move the score to 4-0, making it back-to-back innings that Atkinson came around to score.
Piedmont scored a single run in the top of the fifth as Allyson Gentry scored after Allison Vaughn reached on an error. The Lady Lions exploded in the fourth inning to plate five runs and make it a 10-0 game.
Once again it was Atkinson leading off with a double, then Carter hit a blast to left field scoring two runs. The Lady Lions had just five hits in the inning with three coming in the first three at-bats, as three batters reached on a fielder’s choice and there was one walk.
Piedmont sent a total of 10 batters to the plate as Atkinson was the final out in the fourth. In the final inning, the Lady Lions scored two additional runs on three hits and an error while stranding one runner.
Laura Carter led the way going 3-for-3 at the plate with a team-high three RBI, while five other Lady Lions posted a multiple-hit game.
Game two: Piedmont 8, Mary Baldwin 0
Piedmont did not slow down the offensive output in game two with 13 hits in an 8-0 shutout victory for the doubleheader sweep. Avery Migues earned her first win of the season on the mound going 4.1 innings giving up four hits and striking out three batters.
Sarah Walker entered in relief pitching 2.2 innings without giving up a single hit or walk and struck out one batter.
Once again, the Lady Lions were at it early with a total of three runs in the top of the first as Abby Atkinson led off with a single and later came around to score on a triple by Abby Smith. Smith later scored on a passed ball to make it a 2-0 lead and the Lady Lions added one more as Allyson Gentry scored the final run of the inning.
Piedmont would not score again until the fifth inning when they once again put up a three-spot on the Fighting Squirrels to lead 6-0. Laura Carter began the inning with a double and scored on a sacrifice ground out by Smith. Three straight hits by Jessica Bagwell, Gentry and Allison Vaughn led to Bagwell crossing home and a sacrifice fly by Becka Ross plated Gentry.
The Lady Lions added a pair of runs in the seventh for good measure with two runs on three hits and two left on. Both runs came on a double by Ross as Madison Eubanks and Smith scored.
Gentry led the way going 3-for-4 in the game with two runs scored while all but two Lady Lions recorded a hit. Smith went 2-for-3 in the second game with a pair of RBI and runs scored while Ross was also 2-for-3 with three RBI.
The Lady Lions will be back on the field in less than 24 hours as they travel south to face Greensboro College Saturday with game one beginning at 1 p.m. then will return to Virgina to take on Averett Sunday at noon.
