Game 1 Box Score
Game 2 Box Score

Demorest, GA - After suffering two straight losses for just the second time this season, the No. 6 Lions alternated a win and a loss in a matter of hours, in turn collecting their 20th win of the season over Emory University at Loudermilk Field Sunday afternoon.  Piedmont held off Emory 4-3 in the opener before falling 14-5 in the rubbermatch.  The Lions turned a 4-0 deficit into a 4-3 game before Emory connected for a sixth-inning grand slam to right center to push them to a series win.  The teams not only earned a split on the day, but split the season series at 2-2, thus keeping the all-time series deadlocked at 14-14.  

In a game that wrapped up within two hours, senior Caleb Cochran shut down the high-scoring Eagles offense, picking up his team-best sixth win, going seven strong on the hill while allowing two earned runs on six hits, no walks and striking out five.  Senior Ed Cook came in for his eighth save of the year, working a solid eighth and ninth frame.  He was touched for one unearned run in the eighth, but struck out a pair to two hits and no walks.  The Lions were out-hit 8-5, but racked up just enough offense against Emory starter Paul Schwendel, who tossed a complete game, picking up the tough-luck loss after eight innings, surrendering four runs on five hits and three walks while fanning seven.

Senior Ethan Miers came up with the biggest hit of the afternoon, a two-run, one-out triple to left center to break a 1-1 tie.  Piedmont had struck first in the opening frame with an RBI single by senior Curtis Cornett, plating senior Kyle Davis.  Emory bounced back with a run of its own in the second on a run-scoring double to left.  Schwendel and Cochran were very effective throughout the rest of the game, save a three-run third for the Lions off Schwendel.  Miers wound up crossing the plate after his triple, scampering home on a wild pitch walk.  An RBI groundout by the visiting Eagles in the top of the fifth cut the lead in half, as PC led 4-2.

Cook came in to shut the door in the eighth, but was hit for an unearned run after an error led to an RBI single to center with two outs, making it a close 4-3 game.  However, Cook hunkered down, getting the next hitter to fly out before a perfect ninth in which he struck out one, induced a grounder and popup for the save.  Miers had two of the team's five hits in the first game, tallying two RBI for a fourth straight game.  The shortstop also recorded a stolen base in the win.

An early 4-0 deficit in game two was bridged with a big Piedmont fifth frame when senior Kevin D'Antignac drove home a run with a double.  Moments later, it was Davis from the leadoff spot belting a two-run double of his own, making it a 4-3 game.  The Eagles immediately responded with a four-run sixth with a grand slam homerun over the right center field wall, pushing the lead to 8-3.  The Lions bounced back one more time in the home half of the sixth when junior Garrett Lovelace doubled to left to make it 8-4.  A few batters later, D'Antignac doubled again in the same spot to bring Piedmont within three of the lead.  The visitors pushed across their ninth run in the seventh on an RBI single, and the 9-5 lead was more than the Lions could overcome.  For good measure, the Eagles put up five more runs in the eighth inning, including three on a bases loaded triple.  D'Antignac and Davis both tallied two hits and two RBI in the second game as the team had seven on the day.  Sophomore Matt Lisk took the loss on the mound.

The 20-9 Lions, at 2-1 in Great South Athletic Conference play, are set for a three-game series with visiting Huntingdon College in a huge GSAC matchup.  The Hawks also carry a 2-1 mark in the conference.  The series begins Friday night at 7:00 pm, with a Saturday start at the same time, and the home finale Sunay at 2:00 pm.