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Michael Barnes
Jasper Lee

Baseball

Lions Beaten Late By Panthers 7-4 In USA South Baseball Tournament

Michael Barnes had two hits including an RBI double in the Lions loss to LaGrange College today.
Box Score Rocky Mount, NC - Piedmont lost it's second and final game of the USA South Tournament 7-4 to LaGrange College. The #5-seeded Lions scored early but couldn't capitalize late to keep up with #4-seeded LaGrange and was eliminated from the tournament.

The Lions started the game off swinging with senior Kevin D'Antignac RBI singling to score Will Skidmore in the top of the first. LaGrange bit back with an RBI single after loading the bases in the bottom of the second.

Tate Koons reached base in the top of the fourth after being hit by a pitch, quickly stole second and when the throw missed second base he advanced to third. Skidmore placed a ball down the right field line to score Koons next. Junior Josh Bailey followed up with his own single to put Skidmore on third. The Panthers catcher felt the heat at third base and muffed a pickoff attempt to bring Skidmore home. The third run of the inning with Michael Barnes doubling to score Bailey before the final putout.

LaGrange was not ready to give up, though. In the bottom of the fourth, an RBI sac-fly was followed by an RBI sac-bunt to tighten the Lions lead to 4-3. The Panthers tied up the game in the bottom of the 5th by way of a groundout that scored one runner to tie the game.

Piedmont had a chance at taking back the lead in the top of the seventh. Austin Brick and Breck Davidson both reached base on balls. Keith Grabowski put a single deep into left field to bring Brick around third base and head home. The throw got home before brick though and the inning ended at the plate.

The Panthers took advantage of three hits in the bottom of the seventh to score two. A pair of sacrifice bunts put a third runner across home plate later, to give the Panthers a 7-4 lead. The Lions had their last chance at a comeback in the top of the ninth. A walk, hit, and flyout put runners on the corners but Piedmont couldn't best the LaGrange bullpen who got the last two outs and set the boxscore in stone.

Josh Thomas accepted the loss for Piedmont in 2 and 1/3 innings after Billy Mangum threw the first 3 and 2/3; Thomas moves to 1-1 on the season.

Piedmont moves to 19-18 overall after being eliminated from the USA South Baseball Tournament. The Lions next competition comes next weekend on the campus of Huntingdon College in Montgomery, Alabama. Game one of the series is set for the evening of Friday, April 19th.
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