Box Score

Millington, TN -- The Piedmont College baseball team suffered its first defeat at the 2011 NCAA South Regional at the hands of the nation's third ranked team in Shenandoah University.  The Hornets dealt PC a 14-5 loss care of two monstrous innings at the plate that accounted for 12 of Shenandoah's total scores on the evening as the Lions now face an elmination contest against Webster University tomorrow at 1:00 eastern. 

After the top-five Hornets struck first with a score in the top of the first off senior starter Dusty Black, Shenandoah would add another score early on in the second to extend its advantage to 2-0.  The backbreaker came on a two-out grand slam from the Hornet third baseman which then made the game a 6-0 contest after just two innings of play. 

Black was pulled after two innings having given up six earned as the Lions allowed another run in the third inning with the Hornets starting to pile on 7-0.  A sac fly from Josh Bailey in the home half of the inning put Piedmont on the board with a score while the Lions climbed a bit closer on a RBI single from Ethan Miers in the fourth.

Now trailing 7-2, PC looked to be making headway cutting the advantage down to five until a seven-run offensive explosion by Shenandoah in the sixth sank any hopes of a Piedmont comeback on the evening.  The Lions would add a trio of scores in the bottom of the ninth to make the final 14-5 for their first loss in Millington moving to 1-1 in the tourney.

Leading the way at the plate was junior Kyle Davis who went two for five with a RBI single in the PC ninth while Miers and freshman Josh Bailey each added a run batted in.  Outhit in the contest 13-7, the Lions got a good inning of work from senior reliever Matt Collins who tossed a hitless ninth retiring the side in order with two coming by way of strikeouts. 

Despite the loss for Piedmont on the evening, Collins' appearance tonight had special significance as the senior made his 33rd showing for the Lions, a new NCAA Division III season record.  Collins bests the old mark of 32 set by former Lion standout and All-American Tom Dimitroff who helped lead PC to its last NCAA postseason appearance prior to the 2011 season.

The Lions move to 31-14 overall on the year and are now 1-1 in South Regional play moving them to the elimination side of the bracket.  Piedmont will fight for its tournament life tomorrow against Webster University tomorrow at noon local time, 1:00 back home in Georgia.