Box Score

Demorest, GA -- The Piedmont College baseball team gave its hometown fans a second straight extra inning thriller earlier tonight snatching a 9-8 walk-off victory in the bottom of the 12th inning over Great South Athletic Conference member Maryville College. The Lions saw their early lead evaporate needing to tie the ballgame in the eighth before collecting the one-run victory in extras treating the Loudermilk crowd to bonus baseball for the second time in four days.

Piedmont looked good from the start of tonight's GSAC showdown as junior Kyle Davis pushed a Maryville pitch over the head of the Scots' second baseman for a leadoff hit in the first.  The Lion outfielder would later score on a Curtis Cornett ground out, the first of Cornett's two RBIs on the evening. 

After taking a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first, catcher Garrett Lovelace doubled up the PC advantage by pummeling a fastball for a solo shot extending the lead to 2-0.  Maryville's right fielder could only look on as Lovelace's shot sailed over the wall just near the scoreboard at Loudermilk with the Lions looking good early on. 

Staring pitcher Kevin Caldwell was solid in his 11th appearance of 2011 going five and a third scattering nine hits while issuing just two walks on the night.  Though the sophomore allowed five runs in the no-decision, Caldwell struck out six to push his season total to 55 - the second best total amongst the Lions pitching staff.

The Maryville third would tie the game up at twos as the Scots collected a pair of runs putting the score at 2-2 through three.  However, Piedmont responded in the fourth with a four spot to again pull ahead of the visiting Scots 6-2 as the scoreboard continued to light up with runs on the home score line. 

Three straight Lions kicked off the Piedmont fourth reaching base with Cornett leading off with a double before McConnell followed up with a single to move Cornett 90 feet away from home base.  Lovelace's bat would again have an impact as the catcher picked up his second RBI of the night with a double that scored Cornett. 

Later in the inning, shortstop Matt Youtsey struck a RBI single that sent McConnell across the plate for a 4-2 PC lead.  Taking advantage of a Maryville throwing error, Lovelace would alertly take home for Piedmont's fifth run of the night while Dave Bartek's sac fly gave the Lions their 6-2 margin through four. 

Maryville would tack on three runs over the next two innings although the visiting Scots would also add three more in the eighth inning alone to take their first lead of the night at 8-7.  Piedmont needed just half a frame to respond again jumping on another Scot mistake to even the score at 8-8 with Dave Bartek scoring on a wild pitch.

The game remained tied throughout the next four innings where reliever Matt Collins stole the stage with perhaps his most courageous performance of the season.  Typically called upon to throw the ninth in a closing role, Collins came on in the eighth with just one out to go four and two thirds allowing just two hits compared to his astounding eight strikeouts - that moves his stikeout to walk ratio in 2011 out four to one.

Although the senior closer took over the spotlight for the home team down the stretch, the Lions saw the most dramatic moment of the night come at the plate as young Piedmont outfielder Josh Bailey found himself staring at a two-out bottom of the 12th needing only to reach to prolong the home team's hope for a win. 

The freshman did just that knocking a basehit before stealing second to put himself in scoring position with the chances running thin for PC.  After senior CALEB POWELL fought a 1-2 count to draw a walk, infielder CURTIS CORNETT provided the single that the Lions needed to get Bailey across home handing Piedmont a 9-8 extra-inning victory over the Scots. 

Collins got the win in relief while the Lions leading hitter was Cornett who went two for six with a pair of RBIs and a run scored.  Lovelace connected on two of his five tries collecting both a pair of RBIs and runs scored as the sophomore drilled his fourth home run of 2011.

With the win, the Lions move to 23-12 overall and 6-1 in conference play needing just a single win in their next two GSAC contests to seal up a conference regular season title.  Piedmont again hosts Maryville for an afternoon contest at Loudermilk Field set to start at 3:00 on Sunday, April 17.