Box Score

Demorest, GA - The visiting Oglethorpe Stormy Petrels put a seven on the scoreboard in the third, but the No. 15 Lions shut them out in all other frames while improving to 8-1 with the 12-7 win at Loudermilk Field Thursday night.  Piedmont's 5-0 lead was erased by Oglethorpe with a seven-run third inning that saw 12 hitters come to the plate, and included a back-breaking two-run homer.

Nevertheless, the Lions tied it in the fourth with a pair of runs, and put up a five spot in the seventh to regain the five-run advantage.  Sophomore Chris Lew had a huge night at the dish, driving in five runs and going 2-for-2 with a run scored. Senior Curtis Cornett also contributed heavily with three RBI on three hits, while junior Tate Koons went 4-for-5 at the plate with three runs scored.  Although OU was efficient with scoring seven runs on just six hits, the Lions were equally capable, gathering 12 runs on 13 hits.  

Lew and Cornett both notched run-scoring singles in the opening frame to give PC an early 2-0 lead, and added three more on the board an inning later despite having none on and two away.  Sophomore Josh Bailey pounded an RBI double, plating Koons.  Lew came through again, driving in the fifth Piedmont run with a base hit to center.

Everything fell in place for Oglethorpe in the next inning.  A bases-loaded single brought home the first OU run, but a strikeout by freshman Max Oberkofler appeared to get the Lions closer to getting out of a jam with two outs and the bases full.  However,  the walk and single that followed made it a tied ballgame.  The next hitter belted a go-ahead two-run, two-out homer to shift momentum in the Stormy Petrels' favor.

Junior Matt Youtsey led off the home half of the fourth with a walk prior to Koons' hit.  Bailey then walked with one away to load the bases for Lew, who responded with an RBI walk.  Junior Garrett Lovelace lifted a sac fly to right to bring home the tying run before the Stormy Petrels were able to get out of the inning tied at 7.  Piedmont lost an opportunity to re-take the lead in the sixth.  Senior Kyle Davis led off with a single and advanced to second on an error, and the Lions loaded the bases moments later with just one out, but the home team was turned away as OU got out of the inning unscathed.

Piedmont made better use of the seventh frame, crossing the plate five times to break the game open.  Davis then picked up the most painful RBI, getting hit by a pitch the bases loaded for the winning run.  Bailey proceeded to walk to get the next  run home as the Lions went up 9-7.  Lew once more added an RBI on another Piedmont sacrifice fly before Cornett singled in the final two runs.

Despite junior Kevin Caldwell not starting for the men, he still came in from the pen to pick up his fourth win of the season, recording just one out on a strikeout.  Senior Ed Cook continued his dominant 2012 season, going the final two innings, striking out four to just one hit.  He has yet to allow a run this year.  Davis scored three runs for the Lions and stole his seventh base of the season in the win, going 1-for-2 with an RBI.  Piedmont returns to action Saturday with a 7:00 pm start against Methodist University on the home field, barring inclimate weather.