Box Score Demorest, GA - The Piedmont College baseball team could not hold on to a two-run lead in the 9th as visiting DePauw University rallied with three in their final time at the plate to take a 5-4 victory over PC at Loudermilk. On a cold night with snow blustering over the field more than once, the Lions pitching went cold late as
Allen Tokarz gave up an earned run for the first time in 2014 snapping a streak of better than 20 innings without giving up one on the season as he allowed three runs in the 9th including a pair earned.
The loss went to Tokarz who drops to 3-1 now on the season while the win goes to Brendan Bolander of DePauw who moves to 1-0 on the year as both pitchers came on in relief. Piedmont starter
Max Oberkofler went seven strong with four hits allowed and two runs given up, both of which were earned as he struck out three and issued a single walk.
DePauw took the first lead of the game when they picked up a run on a ground out to second taking a 1-0 advantage in the top of the first on a chilly night in Demorest as the Tigers brought the cold with them from Greencastle, Indiana. The Lions answered with their own run on a ground out in the second as
Michael Barnes scored to make it 1-1 through two.
In the Piedmont 3rd, singles by
Keith Grabowski and
Josh Bailey proved effective as
Breck Davidson doubled both his teammates home to continue his hot hitting as of late as he has six RBIs in his last four games. That two-run inning gave PC a 3-1 advantage with Oberkofler throwing well on the mound in the mid-week contest.
The PC starter would give up a run on an RBI single in the 7th by Pat Lyons, but the Lions got the score back in the home half of the inning when youngster
Terrance Worthy patiently drew a bases loaded walk to bring Davidson across home as PC went up 4-2. The door looked to be closed for the Tigers at that point as the Lions sported a 12-0 record coming into the night when leading after seven.
A scoreless 8th increased the probability of a Piedmont win as the Lions were 15-0 when leading after 8 coming into the evening, but trouble reared its head in the 9th when the Tigers would get three runs on two hits and an error as Piedmont went into the home half of the 9th down a run in a game they controlled most of the night.
Back-to-back singles with one out by Barnes and
Austin Brick looked promising as PC tried to rally in he bottom of the 9th, but Worthy hit into a double play in the next at-bat as Piedmont fell 5-4 after the stunning rally by DePauw in the 9th.
Offensively, the team was paced by Davidson who was two for five with two RBIs and a run scored while Barnes was three for five with a run scored.
Josh Bailey drew another two walks to bring his total to now 24 on the season as he will likely lead the nation in that category when the latest statistical rankings come out this week.
The loss puts Piedmont at 15-7 though the USA South mark stays untouched as Tuesday's contest was out of conference play. Piedmont drops just its second decision at home as well moving to 10-2 in the friendly confines in 2014.
Piedmont now will get set to travel to Rocky Mount, North Carolina this weekend for a big USA South Series with NC Wesleyan. The three-game set with the Battling Bishops is set to start with a Friday afternoon affair, a 3:00 pm first pitch.
