Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 Demorest, GA - The Piedmont College softball team showed exactly why they've earned the #13 national ranking in the NFCA Preseason Poll sweeping the Panthers of Birmingham Southern College earlier today in doubleheader action.  PC took the first game 7-3 and won the second in tight 5-4 fashion over a Panther team who was coming off a 28-10 season in 2013 and returned All-American Taylor Bassett.

Bassett, the Panther shortstop and last year's SAA Player of the Year, was held hitless on the afternoon going 0-7 combined against Piedmont pitchers Brittney Head and Jordin Ellingson.  Ellingson struck out Bassett twice and Head sat her down on strikes once as well as the Lady Lion pitching staff came out hot in 2014 allowing only six earned runs to the Panthers in the pair of games. 

In the opener, Piedmont led 6-0 after three innings, a stretch that was highlighted by Laura Carter's RBI triple in the second.  Carter was two for three in the game with a pair of RBIs also driving in a run in the Piedmont sixth as she again tripled to plate teammate Tiffany Sellers. 

The Panthers were only able to score their runs late in the game getting two in the 4th and one in the 7th though the scores in the 4th came as a result of a Piedmont error as Ellingson was lights out in the opener.  The sophomore followed up her stellar 2013 debut season with a complete-game, four-hit performance allowing only three runs total striking out six in the game and not issuing a single walk.

Also picking up RBIs in the 7-3 win to open was Olivia Duncan, Ellingson, and Abby Smith.  Carter had two as well with both of hers coming on triples.  Allison Vaughn, Duncan, Sellers, and Jessica Perschka each scored runs with all but Perschka scoring multiple times.

In the second game, things got a bit tighter as the tables flipped on the home team with Birmingham Southern going up by three through the top of the fourth as the Panthers got an RBI triple of their own from Ridgway in the 4th.  However, the Lady Lions showed no fear coming back with a chaotic and offensive bottom of the fourth to storm back in front scoring four in the frame to steal the lead and set the crowd ablaze at Walker Athletic Complex.

In that Piedmont 4th, Perschka led things off with a single advancing to 2nd on a passed ball.  After Sellers walked, Abby Atkinson pinch hit and singled to load the bases with Lady Lions.  That caused a pitching change for BSC as Fronk went on the hill only to see things continue downhill as senior Lauren Head flew out to right field for the sac fly that scored Perschka with each runner advancing for PC. 

An error by the Panthers led to the second run before Vaughn smacked an RBI single and Duncan's sac fly to center put the cap on a four-run 4th for PC who took advantage of the chance to go back in front.  BSC would score in the 5th to tie things up once again at 4-4, but it was not to be for the Panthers on opening day as Whitney Wolfe's RBI single in the bottom of the 5th proved to be the final difference with Piedmont winning the second of two, 5-4.

Wolfe led the team with her two RBIs in game two while Vaughn, Duncan, and Head each earned one as well.  Runs were scored by Wolfe, Atkinson, Perschka, and Sellers who had two.  Allison Vaughn debuted well as the freshman hit .500 going three for six with two runs scored and an RBI to go with a double and two walks.

Piedmont's Brittney Head go the win in game #2 going the distance allowing four runs on seven hits walking just one and striking out three.  Ellingson got the W in game one also going seven with three runs allowed and six strikeouts issued.

The sweep starts Piedmont at 2-0 in 2014 as they knocked off one of the SAA's best today as the Panthers finished 3rd in the league's regular season in 2013. 

The Lady Lions now must turn their attention to the Soaring Eagles of Elmira College who travel to Demorest this Tuesday for a doubleheader with PC.  Elmira is 1-1 after splitting their season opener with Agnes Scott College earlier today.  Action at Walker Athletic Complex is set to start at 1:00 pm.