Box Score

Demorest, GA -- The Piedmont College baseball team fell to #9 Birmingham-Southern College earlier this afternoon by a final score of 12-4 at Loudermilk Field. The nationally ranked Panthers used a powerful offensive attack to put up a dozen runs bringing their season total to 94 scores in nine games played as Piedmont suffers their first home loss of 2011.

The visiting Panthers scored in their first chance at the bat tallying two runs in the top of the first to grab an early 2-0 lead. However, the Lions would strike back in the bottom half the same frame as infielder John Duke knocked a two RBI double that scored teammates Kevin McConnell and Curtis Cornett.

After the Lions tied the ballgame up at two a piece, Birmingham-Southern again put up a pair of scores in the top of the second inning to once again take a two run lead. Despite giving up four runs over the first two innings, starting pitcher Dusty Black would settle in to retire the next six batters he faced as the score remained unchanged over the next three innings.

A Panther run in the top of the fifth made the score 5-2 in favor of the visitors from Alabama who had scored 82 runs in their eight games before facing the Lions. Piedmont tried to chip away at the margin grabbing a score in the bottom of the fifth as a Tate Koons sacrifice fly with the bases loaded scored centerfielder Dave Bartek.

It was then the Panther offense began to hit its stride scoring seven runs over the next three innings to take a 12-3 lead in the top of the seventh. After Kyle Davis crossed the plate in the bottom of the seventh to cut the advantage down to eight, the Panthers bullpen did its job shutting the door on Piedmont for the eventual 12-4 victory.

Leading the Lions at the plate was Duke whose two RBI double accounted for half of the team's run production on the day. Black took the loss on the mound for PC going six innings while allowing four earned runs and striking out three.

The loss drops PC to 4-4 overall and is the first defeat at home for the 2011 Lions. Piedmont will now get back-to-back days off from game action before hosting Washington and Lee University In a mid-week battle on Wednesday, February 23. The first pitch is set for 3:00 at Loudermilk Field.