Box Score

Millington, TN -- The Piedmont College baseball team staved off elimination in the 2011 NCAA South Regional Tournament with a 2-1 victory over the Gorloks of Webster University earlier this afternoon at USA Stadium.  Despite being outhit 12-5 in the contest, the Lions made the most of their opportunities in yet another one-run win, the 13th such victory for the cardiac cats in 2011.

The Gorloks broke a scoreless tie in the third taking a 1-0 lead off Piedmont starting pitcher Matt Lisk who settled in nicely afterward to go five innings allowing just that single third inning score.  The freshman arm allowed eight hits in the no decision stirking out three to get himself out of dangerous situations on the afternoon. 

With the Lions trailing 1-0 through four, a leadoff walk for Kevin McConnell in the top of the fifth was costly for the Webster side as the DH moved across to third on back-to-back miscues from the Gorloks.  It was then the man who had made play after play for PC in the field stepping up to the plate in third baseman Ethan Miers who singled in McConnell to tie the game at 1-1. 

In the sixth and seventh innings, pitcher Ed Cook took control for the Lions as he went two scoreless innings with a pair of K's. Cook saw his side take a lead in the top of the eighth on a RBI triple from youngster Josh Bailey whose fourth base hit of the regional put shortstop Matt Youtsey in to score with the Lions leading 2-1 in eight. 

Although the Lions was not in the friendly confines of Loudermilk Field  for the typical hometown music played when closer Matt Collins come on the hill, the PC dugout helped energize their senior reliever coming on in a one-run ballgame in the eighth. 

Collins ensured that his Lions would move to 26-1 when leading after eight by retiring six of the seven batters he faced over his two innings of work holding on to a slim 2-1 advantage moving PC on in the double elimination regional.  For the Piedmont closer who set an NCAA single season record last night with his 33rd appearance out of the pen, Collins records his 13th save of the 2011 season moving him one behind the national leader in that category. 

Collecting the win was Cook who moves to 4-0 on the season after he tossed a pair of scoreless innings.  Miers and Bailey accounted for the RBIs on the Piedmont side while the shortstop Youtsey scored a run on his two for three day. 

The win moves the Lions to 32-14 overall and 2-1 in the South Regional.  PC will now try to avenge its only loss in the 2011 NCAA postseason when the Lions take on the #3 team in the nation later tonight in Shenandoah University with the first pitch set for 7:00 local time, 8:00 eastern.

For complete coverage of Piedmont's magical run in the NCAA tournament including audio and video broadcasting, fans can visit the official homepage of the 2011 NCAA South Regional.