Box Score

Rocky Mount, NC -- The Piedmont College baseball team completed a three-game sweep of USA South opponent North Carolina Wesleyan College earlier this afternoon with a second 2-1 victory over the Battling Bishops in the series. The Lions got another solid performance from their pitching staff and a bases loaded walk in the eighth inning to earn their 27th victory of the season to tie the 2006 Lions team for the second most wins in a season in Piedmont's NCAA era.

Despite allowing the Battling Bishops to take a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second, starting Lion pitcher Dusty Black threw well to keep Piedmont in the game throughout his six innings on the mound. Scattering five hits and striking out three in the no-decision, Black left following the bottom of the sixth after seeing his squad tie the ballgame up at 1-1 in the top half of the inning as Dave Bartek took home on a NC Wesleyan error.

With the two teams still locked up at one each after seven, Piedmont again found magic late in a ballgame as they continued to put pressure on the Battling Bishop pitching by taking advantage of some NC Wesleyan miscues in the eighth. After Matt Youtsey singled to lead off the inning, Dave Bartek reached on an error before being moved over along with Youtsey on a sac from Kyle Davis.

With those two in scoring position, an intentional walk from N.C. Wesleyan loaded the bases much to the success of the Bishop strategy as the home team got a force out at home on the next Lion batter. However, the bases remained loaded despite the second out as senior John Duke beat out any double play attempt to keep the visiting Lions alive in the inning with hitter Curtis Cornett coming up to bat.

Cornett battled with the NC Wesleyan starter to draw a bases loaded walk that put Dave Bartek across home plate to hand Piedmont their first lead of the day at 2-1. With the Lions still clinging to the margin through the end of the eighth, Piedmont looked to its season history for an edge as the 2011 Lions came into today's contest with a 22-1 record when leading after eight innings on the year.

Looking to make it 23-1 was closer MATT COLLINS who made his third straight appearance in the series to pick up his second save with a hitless ninth inning striking out the final batter of the day to help the Lions hold on for a 2-1 win. The save gives Collins his 11th save of the season to tie the national leader in NCAA Division III in that category while Chris Haggard claimed his first win of the season in his first appearance for the squad after tossing a three-up, three-down seventh inning.

Leading hitters for the Lions included Youtsey and Duke who each went two for four at the plate while Cornett claimed a RBI for the squad to move his season totals to a team-high 35 on the year. Catcher Chris Lew added a base hit to the cause while centerfielder Dave Bartek scored both runs in Piedmont's 2-1 victory.

With the win and series sweep, the Lions move to a 27-13 overall mark on the season as PC claims its tenth victory in the last 11 games. Piedmont's three-game winning streak ends the regular season for the Lions who now will prepare for the upcoming Great South Athletic Conference championship tournament hosted by Maryville College set to kick off on Friday, April 29.