Box Score

Demorest, GA - Piedmont's offense couldn't get going on a cold Sunday night at Loudermilk Field, falling to the Millsaps Majors, 11-2.  The No. 15 Lions got their first hit of the game in the fourth inning, but were down 3-0 after the top of the first when the Majors took advantage of an error to take a comfortable lead early on.

After sophomore Josh Bailey led off the fourth with a single, a pickoff attempt sailed wide of first, and Bailey raced all the way to third.  A sacrifice fly to right by junior Garrett Lovelace put Piedmont on the board.  The designated hitter tallied his ninth RBI of the season on his second sac fly.  The Canton native came in hitting .385 with runners on and .400 in RBI opportunities.

The Majors immediately responded with a pair of runs in the fifth off starter Caleb Cochran.  The senior, who came in a perfect 3-0 with a 0.42 ERA, struggled against Millsaps' offense, allowing four earned runs, six overall, in seven innings of work, taking the loss while fanning eight hitters.  His counterpart, Will Edwards, was nearly unhittable, allowing just four hits, two going to Bailey, and striking out 11 Lions while giving up just one earned run in six-plus innings of work.  The ace had entered the game 2-1 with a 1.57 ERA.

Millsaps reached Cochran for another run in the sixth to take a 6-1 lead, but the Lions put pressure on the visitors in the home half of the seventh.  Leadoff hitter, junior James Moyer drew a walk off Edwards, and was replaced on the basepaths by junior Dale Bartek, who advanced to second on a wild pitch before senior Ethan Miers singled up the middle to make it a 6-2 game and taking Edwards out of the game.  The ensuing hitter, junior Matt Youtsey, also walked to put runners on first and second with no one out.  Pinch hitter Brad Stinson laid down a perfect sac bunt to put both runners in scoring position, and Bailey walked moments later to load the bases.  The shortstop who took over on the mound for Edwards struck out the next hitter before inducing a deep fly ball to right to end the threat and leave the Lions reeling.

To add insult to injury, the Majors added an insurance tally in the eighth and four in the ninth after a costly error to pull ahead 11-2.  The Lions are now 9-2 on the season and look for win number 10 tomorrow against Montclair State University.  First pitch is slated for 4:00 pm.