Box Score

Maryville, TN -- The Piedmont College baseball team started off this weekend's Great South Athletic Conference championship tournament on the right foot with an 11-8 victory over fourth seeded LaGrange College earlier this afternoon.  The top-seeded Lions put up just enough offense to outscore the Panthers in today's GSAC tourney opener helping Piedmont to slide into the winner's side of the bracket taking on the winner of tonight's ballgame between Huntingdon and Maryville. 

The Lions got the scoring started having never trailed in this afternoon's contest as Kevin McConnell's two-RBI single to left field gave Piedmont the early edge.  LaGrange would cut the lead in half on a score in the top of the second but the Lions answered with a five-run explosion in the bottom of the fourth to extend their lead up to 7-1.

Starting off that five spot for Piedmont was a bases-loaded RBI single from centerfielder Dave Bartek that scored catcher Garrett Lovelace.  GSAC Player of the Year Kyle Davis then singled through the right side later in the inning to score another pair of Lion baserunners just before freshman Josh Bailey's triple cleared the bases to cap the five run PC fourth.

The Panthers tried to hold serve with another three scores in the top of the sixth, but Piedmont continued to have an answer for every LaGrange strike as the Lions posted a score of their own in the bottom half of the frame.  PC then added another run in the bottom of the seventh off another leadoff home run from Lovelace, the catcher's team-leading sixth homer of 2011 sitting just two shy of Assistant Coach ZAC STEIN's season record of eight.

Leading 9-4 through seven, the two squads would trade a pair of runs in the eighth inning before Piedmont headed to the top of the ninth with a chance to snare a tourney opening win over the Panthers.  With closer Matt Collins having stepped on the mound for the last out in the eighth, LaGrange would not lay down in their final chance at the plate grabbing two runs off the Lions to come within three of tying the game up.

In a one-out situation with two on and the tying run coming up to the plate, Collins retired the next two batters to shut the door on a ninth inning rally.  Getting the win on the mound was starter Kevin Caldwell who went five and two thirds with five hits allowed and three earned runs. 

Davis led the way at the plate for the Lions with his two for three day that included three runs scored and a pair of RBIs as well.  Also accounting for two RBIs was senior John Duke who went .500 in his plate appearances going two for four with a run scored.

DH Kevin McConnell was two for five with two runs batted in while freshman Josh Bailey represented the fourth Lion to contribute two RBIs for the top-seeded PC squad.  Centerfielder Dave Bartek got in on the RBI party as well with his two for four day that saw him score two runs while catcher Garrett Lovelace blasted his third home run in as many games against GSAC competition.

The victory moves the Lions to 28-13 overall as Piedmont continues to inch closer toward a GSAC crown.  In a noon contest set for Saturday, April 30, the Lions now will face the winner of tonight's second GSAC tournament game between Huntingdon and Maryville continuing play in the league tournament.