Box Score Box Score

Salem, VA - The Piedmont College sofball team battled with both their bodies and minds today earning a 4-1 victory over 19th ranked Lynchburg College to advance in the winner's side of the bracket at the 2013 Salem Regional.  The victory is the program's fourth win in its last six NCAA Tournament contests as the Lady Lions used a lights-out day on the mound from junior Brittney Head and timely scores to grab the win.

Early on, the Lady Lions threatened to break the 0's on the board as Taylor Morgan's walk in the bottom of the first proved to be more dangerous when freshman Olivia Duncan belted a double over the head of Lynchburg's right fielder. With Morgan and Duncan sitting respectively at third and second as one out was lit up on the scoreboard in Salem, Lynchburg picked up a pop out in foul territory and a fly out in left field to get out of the inning.

Senior leadership stepped up and stood up for the Lady Lions midway through the contest as Megan Kesler drilled a stand up double in the top of the 5th to lead off for Piedmont getting it going after three quiet innings. 

It was heads up play that got the Lady Lions on the board after Abby Atkinson bunted for an infield hit and tried for second allowing pinch runner Whitney Wolfe time to try for home and slide safely past the Hornets catcher.  The smart play gave Piedmont a 1 run lead, but the advantage would only stay on temporarily.

Though the top of the 5th was a display of heads-up ball from the Lady Lions, the bottom of the inning was not more of the same as Piedmont committed three errors to allow Lynchburg to tie the score at one a piece with 2 outs.

Despite allowing the Hornets back in it after grabbing the lead, Piedmont would steady the ship keying on the performance of hurler Brittney Head who after a crazy bottom of the 5th sat Lynchburg down in order in the 6th.  Head's day through six innings was stellar as she allowed just a pair of hits and no earned runs, the only blemish a score on an error.

PC then sang a familiar tune as another leadoff double from veteran Megan Kesler put Lynchburg in an uncomfortable situation with a Lady Lion runner on 2nd and nobody out.  Sacrificed across by Laura Carter, Kesler would then watch one more out go by before seeing classmate and teammate of almost a decade, Megan McClain step up to the plate.

McClain came through in the clutch with an infield hit to score Kesler from third and give the Lady Lions a 2-1 lead, but McClain was not finished as she alertly stole second before the Hornet's pitcher had a chance to call time.

After another senior Lady Lion was put on with Taylor Morgan singling off the glove of the Hornets' pitcher, McClain took third to put nationally ranked Lynchburg on the spot again.  Morgan stole second to give freshman Olivia Duncan a chance to score two more with a base hit, exactly what the youngster had in mind as she looped her third hit of the day into shallow right field.  The pair of scores put PC up 3 runs at 4-1 heading to the bottom of the 7th for Head to finish it off.

The Georgia pitcher was up to the task as she sat Lynchburg down in order again, ending her day with only a pair of hits allowed as she tallied two four-pitch innings on a day of efficiency. 

Leading PC at the plate was Duncan and Kesler, a freshman-senior combo that came up big on the day as well.  Duncan was 3-for-4 with two RBIs and a double.  Both of Kesler's hits were doubles though her second came up just shy of the right field fence.

The Lady Lions move to 32-8 on the year as they await the winner of second-seeded Emory University and 7th seeded  Neumann University.  The game time however is already set for 4:00 pm Eastern at Moyer Sports Complex.