Demorest, GA – In a year where Loudermilk Field will play host to a NCAA Regional for the first time ever, Piedmont College Head Baseball Coach Jim Peeples is hoping that his 2014 squad takes a hold of the opportunity that lay in front of them – a chance to play in a NCAA Regional in their home ballpark.  To do that, the veteran head coach knows that the road is not only a long one, but also one likely to have a few speed bumps as his team must replace some key figures from last year, including an ace starter and Piedmont's first-ever National Gold Glover, Kevin Caldwell.

"The guys are excited about this, and excited about the opportunity to potentially play in a regional here that we are hosting," stated Peeples of his team's unique chance to stay at home for NCAA competition.  "To say that it's not a goal that all of us have would be lying.  But it's a journey, a baseball season is a long journey.  It's a marathon, and we're not really focused on the destination, we're just focused on each day trying to get there."

Despite losing its top starter on the mound from a year ago, the 2014 version of the Lions does return a bevy of talented arms with the bullpen shaping up to be one of the best in the Coach Peeples era at PC.  Anchoring that feared pen will be returning ABCA All-Region honoree Jacob Brewster, a junior on this year's squad that continues the long line of successful closers at PC in recent years including the likes of former Lion great Matt Collins, also a ABCA All-Region selection that lead all three divisions of the NCAA in strikeouts per nine during the NCAA tourney-bound season of 2011 at PC.

Brewster is not the only All-Region selection returning on this year's team as senior Josh Bailey comes back for his twilight season with the program three years after exploding onto the scene in that championship year of 2011.  Bailey brings his bat to help the cause having led Piedmont in doubles as well as home runs last season, but his Head Coach believes that both Bailey as well as Brewster will need to bring more than their physical skill set with them to the park each day if the Lions are to accomplish their goal of reaching an NCAA regional.

"More than anything, their leadership is really going to be the big thing that we need to count on," said Peeples of his veteran leaders.  "They need to set the right example each day.  We're going to have a great year if everybody excels in the roles they have."

Bailey was a freshman on the 2011 team that won a Great South Athletic Conference Championship and earned an at-large berth to the NCAA Regional in Millington, Tennessee.  The outfielder was key in PC's run getting to the NCAAs as he scored the game-winning run in the GSAC championship game on a do-or-die play taking off on a slow rolling ball to short which was thrown wide of first allowing batter Kevin McConnell to reach safely and Bailey to cross homeplate for a title. 

Then just a freshman, Bailey also hit a walk-off single into the gap in left center the day before in a 7-6 come-from-behind victory over Maryville College that helped propel PC into the title game.  Though Bailey now sits as a senior on the 2014 team, Head Coach Jim Peeples has a feeling that if the Lions are to build another dramatic run to a NCAA Regional, they may have to rely on some freshmen to step in key places. 

One of those youngsters could be highly touted pitcher Preston Graham, a North Hall High School graduate who helped take his Trojans all the way to the Georgia AAA State Championship game.  Graham was a key piece of that North Hall success tossing a gem in a state tourney opening win over Decatur, a game where he struck out 17 batters including the first 16 he faced that day.  Peeples is happy to have the youngster in the green and gold this spring though he says Graham's success is no surprise to anyone around Piedmont.

"He's a local kid, alot of people in our area know Preston, and know about his high school career," said Peeples when asked about the young arm.  "He's a poised performer would be the best way I could describe him , he just pitches with poise that guys his age usually don't have.  I expect him to pitch with the same poise that we watched him pitch with his whole high school career."

Peeples knows that Graham won't be the only freshman to contribute early as he expects another pair of newcomers to look to fill the void at the ever important shortstop position.  The two tasked with the job are Graham's North Hall High School teammate Griffin Olson as well as Hampton native Terrance Worthy.  Despite the age of the pair asked to share the load at a key infield spot, Peeples believes the two are up to the task referring to the pair as "highly skilled for guys this early in their career."

The similarities between 2011, Piedmont's last NCAA appearance, and the 2014 season don't stop at the fact that freshman will be stepping in to fill big roles once more.  The Lions have been absent from NCAA play for two seasons since that last showing in 2011 with this being the third season that PC enters after a NCAA postseason berth.  The last time the Lions entered a third season following a NCAA appearance - 2011, three seasons after the Lions' first NCAA berth in 2008.

With history and a strong roster on his side, Head Coach Jim Peeples will lead his 2014 Piedmont baseball team into their season opener this weekend when the Lions play host to Guilford College at Loudermilk Field.  The first of the two-game series is currently set for a 4:00 pm first pitch on Saturday, February 1st though the weather may cause a possible schedule change. 

Stay tuned to PiedmontLions.com, @PiedmonLions on twitter, or sign up for the free text messaging service to stay up to the minute with any possible schedule changes this spring due to the wild spring weather.