Box Score

Atlanta, GA -- The Piedmont College baseball team gave up a pair of big offensive innings to hosting Emory University as the Eagles knocked off the Lions 14-6 in today's series opening game between the two in-state rivals.  Emory got 13 of its 14 runs in two innings at the plate as Piedmont dropped the first of a three-game weekend set with the Eagles in the annual away-home-away series that the two have played over the last three seasons.

Despite giving up a first inning run to the Eagles, Piedmont claimed a 4-1 lead in the top of the third as infielder Curtis Cornett's two RBI single up the middle sparked a Lion four spot.  A bases loaded hit-by-pitch and a RBI single from Dale Bartek would round out the top half of the third scoring as PC looked the part in the early going.

However, a six-run explosion by the home team in the bottom half of the same frame quickly handed the momentum back to the hosting Eagles as Emory sent six men across the plate taking a 7-1 lead after three.  The Eagles would then tack on another high scoring inning in the fifth with seven more runs to make the score now 13-1 in favor of Emory after five complete.

The Lions would add a pair of late-inning runs on sac flies from Kevin McConnell and Dale Bartek, but Emory's 13-run, two-inning stretch proved to be more than enough for the Eagles to take game one of the three-game series.  Piedmont's two errors on the afternoon proved to be extremely costly as seven of Emory's 14 runs were unearned on the day.

Picking up the loss for PC on the mound was sophomore Kevin Caldwell who falls to 4-2 on the year for the Lions.  In his shortest outing of the season, the Snellville native went four and a third giving up ten runs on ten hits with seven earned, a walk, and a pair of strikeouts.

First baseman Curtis Cornett continued his current offensive streak with a three for five day at the plate while collecting a pair of RBIs and a run scored.  Joining Cornett in the three-hit club was outfielder Tate Koons who got three base knocks in his four appearances and scored a run for the now 15-10 Lions.

Centerfielder Dave Bartek swung the bat well going picking up two hits in his four plate appearances as the senior scored a run as well.  Brother Dale also got in on the offensive action picking up a pair of RBIs as designated hitter Kevin McConnell and third baseman Ethan Miers accounted for the remaining PC runs batted in.

The loss drops the Lions to 15-10 overall as Emory takes game one of the weekend three-game set.  Piedmont will look to even the series at a game a piece when the Eagles visit Loudermilk Field for a 3:00 afternoon game on Saturday, March 26.