Box Score Wilson, NC - The Piedmont College baseball team held on for a tight 5-4 victory over Averett University earlier today to stay in the USA South regular season title race taking the first of three games between the two in North Carolina this weekend.  Five teams are separated by just three games in the loss column of the league standings including Piedmont who is just two back at 12-7 in conference games this season.

The Lions took a 2-0 lead after single runs in the 2nd and 4th innings as the visiting team before Averett was able to tie things up with single-run innings of their own in the 5th and 6th.  Piedmont starter Matt Lisk was on point in the game one win for the Lions as he tossed seven complete to go to 4-0 now on the season as he retired the Cougars in order in the bottom of the 7th striking out the final two batters he saw in the inning.  

With the game tied 2-2 heading into the top of the 8th, Piedmont picked up three runs to take a 5-2 lead as Tyler Marcinko led off the inning with a double to right center before being sacrificed across to third later in the inning.  Piedmont's Austin Brick then tripled to right field to score Marcinko, the first of three runs for PC in the 8th.

A single by Will Skidmore scored Brick two batters later before a Griffin Olson RBI single back up the middle finished out the 3-spot as Piedmont took a three-run lead to break the deadlock.  Averett would answer in the home half though plating two runs on a double by Davies with nobody out as Piedmont reliever Josh Thomas had been called on to deal with a two-on situation earlier in the inning.

With the bases loaded, Piedmont was able to get a force out at home to pick up the first out of the inning before Thomas struck out the next Cougar and induced a fly ball to center for the final out in the 8th preserving a one-run lead for the Lions.  

Making no noise in their chance at the plate in the 9th, Piedmont called upon closer Jacob Brewster to come in and collect the final three outs of the day, a task made interesting by a leadoff single from the Cougars to start the 9th.  

After the basehit put a runner on, Brewster got Cody Moore to hit into the 1-6-3 double play to put the Piedmont travelers at ease.  A two-out walk to Taylor Davis proved to be no issue for Brewster as he induced a fly ball to center to end the game, picking up his 7th save of the season.  

Piedmont's offense was led by a Lion off the bench as Tyler Marcinko was called in to play third for Michael Barnes and went 3-for-3 with a run scored and an RBI.  Four other Lions picked up two hits a piece led by Austin Brick who smashed his first triple of the season in the 5-4 win. 

Piedmont moves to 20-10 overall with the win and improves to 12-7 in league play, two games behind conference leader Covenant College in the loss column.  The Scots stand at 15-5 in league play as Piedmont stands in 4th place based on conference winning percentage.  

The Lions will play Averett University again in game two of the three-game series set at a neutral site throughout the weekend as a part of the 2014 USA South Spring Festival.  Piedmont's game with the Cougars on Saturday, April 12th is set for a 7:00 pm start at Fleming Stadium in Wilson, North Carolina.  The two will move to Five County Stadium, home of the Carolina Mudcats, for the finale on Sunday, a noon game between the two.