Demorest, GA -- In the opening game of the final Great South Athletic Conference series of the season the Piedmont College baseball team defeated visiting LaGrange College at Loudermilk Field by the score of 4-2. In front of a packed house junior SPENCER SHELTON threw his third consecutive complete game in conference play for the victory.

The visiting Panthers got on the board first with a solo homerun in the top of the fourth inning. The Lions responded quickly with four runs on three hits in home half to take the final lead of the night.

Blake Albertson started the inning with a sharp single to rightcenter. With two outs Jared Moon and Zac Stein posted consecutive RBI-singles and later scored on a pair of LC errors.

Spencer Shelton retired eight in a row before the Panthers cut the lead with an unearned run in the top of the seventh. In the last two innings the righthander struck out four hitters including the final out of the game.

Albertson posted the only multiple hit day going 2-4 while Andy Waldrop chipped in going 1-2 with a walk and a run scored.

In the last three Great South Athletic Conference starts Shelton has posted three complete games allowing a mere one earned run while striking out 25 hitters in 27 innings of work. The junior also posted 21 1/3 innings without allowing an earned run.

Piedmont improves to 18-16 overall and 4-3 in the Great South. The Lions and the Panthers will square off again tomorrow, April 18th with doubleheader game time slated for 2:00 weather permitting.