Box Score Ferrum, VA - The Piedmont College baseball team had a lead late, but could not hold on as Ferrum College rallied with a pair in the 8th to overtake the Lions in a key USA South series for both teams.  With the win, the Panthers now assure themselves of a 19-8 record in league play just one game back of Covenant College in the loss column while Piedmont's run toward a regular season title comes to a close as the Lions are now 14-10 and cannot catch the Panthers in the league standings.

After scoring just one run over the first two games, PC made sure to get on the board quickly this time around scoring one in the top of the first as Breck Davidson picked up the RBI single to plate Griffin Olson.  Taking a 1-0 lead, the scoreboard was evened out by the home team as Ferrum responded in the home half of the first as Taryn Haden collected a sac fly that put the game at one apiece after just one inning of play.

Scoring to make it 1-1 was Justin Cox who had led off the Ferrum first with a double as the hosts looked to be setting a familiar tone early with PC having already dropped the first two games of the decisive USA South series.  However, Piedmont starter Chris Goershel allowed only one more hit over the next four innings as he settled in nicely retiring the side in order in both the 4th and 5th innings to give his team a chance to take the finale.

Evan Gresham's RBI single to center in the 4th looked to be the start of the long-awaited run support for the Piedmont arms over the weekend.  However, the lone run in the 4th that gave Piedmont the lead at 2-1 was the only other score for PC until the top of the 9th as the Lions continued to struggle at the plate, leaving the bases loaded in the 5th inning and still holding a 2-1 lead.

The Lions would again load the bases in the top of the 7th doing so with just one out in the inning this time around, but Ferrum was also once again able to get out of the inning without allowing a run as Panther pitcher Sean King was able to sit down Davidson on strikes before inducing a ground ball to second that ended the threat.  The Panthers tied the game in the home half of the inning as Ferrum looked to complete a sweep of Piedmont that would put the Panthers in prime position to claim the league's title and automatic berth into the NCAAs.

With the arm of Goershel tiring after the PC starter allowed a double to leadoff the Ferrum 8th, Allen Tokarz was called in from the pen to work the inning but the sophomore pitcher struggled to do so as he loaded the bases with nobody out after a hit-by-pitch put the bags full of Panthers.  A grounder to second gave Ferrum the chance to take a 3-2 lead just before the home team added insurance when Tokarz walked in a run with the bases still loaded later in the inning. 

Piedmont was able to get out of the frame on the next at-bat, but not before Ferrum had stormed back taking a 4-2 lead into the 9th. Though Will Skidmore would lead off the inning with a single and eventually score on a wild pitch with Breck Davidson at the plate, Skidmore would come across with two outs on the board as Davidson grounded out to the Panthers' shortstop to end the ballgame with PC going down 4-3.

Starter Chris Goershel takes the loss for PC though the junior held the Panthers to just a pair of hits over the first five innings.  Goershel allowed three runs on six hits overall working into the Piedmont 8th.  The win went to Ferrum's Jared Talley who picks up his first win in his first start of the 2014 season after making 13 appearances in relief throughout the season.

The loss puts Piedmont at 22-14 now overall and 14-10 in league play.  Ferrum ends their regular season in conference play with a 19-8 record, two games ahead of PC in the loss column, and could force a tie for the top spot should Covenant College lose one of two today to Maryville College.

Maryville will be the final opponent for the Lions of Piedmont in the regular season as PC will host the Scots next weekend for a three-game series set to start with a 7:00 pm Friday night first pitch at Loudermilk Field.  The Mane Event Broadcasting Network will cover all three games of the series providing a live video feed with integrated stats as well.