Box Score Demorest, GA - The Piedmont College baseball team opened a rivalry USA South series with Maryville College earlier tonight and did so with a bang taking home an 11-2 win in the friendly confines of Loudermilk Field.  The Lions had no trouble after a five-run 5th combined with quality pitching to hand PC its 23rd win of the 2014 season as the boys from Demorest moved to 13-4 in home games at Loudermilk this year.

After Piedmont softball player Cheyanne Osoria's rendition of the National Anthem got the crowd going for the Lions, starting pitcher Matt Lisk struck out the first batter he faced to set the tone for the night at Loudermilk.  

Piedmont took quick work from Lisk in the top of the first and translated it into a lead in the bottom of the first when big hitter Breck Davidson drilled a 1-out double over the head of Maryville centerfielder Garret Gresham to score Josh Bailey all the way from first.  The double was the first of two big ones over the head of Gresham as Keith Grabowski would boom a 2-RBI two-bagger in the bottom of the 2nd to break up a 1-1 tie after Maryville had evened it up in the top of the frame. 

Grabowski's double in the 2nd scored Austin Brick and Daniel Lindsey as the two raced around third with Brick practically clicking on the heels of Lindsey for the pair of scores.  Piedmont would get another in the inning as Grabowski came home on a sacrifice laid perfectly down the line with the Piedmont centerfielder coming across to make it now a 4-1 ballgame after two complete.

A home run by Maryville's John McDermott cut the lead to 4-2 as he took a Lisk offering over the wall in left to make it a two-run game.  The visitors put two on before the end of the inning making it a bit of a challenge for the Piedmont starter on the mound.  However, Lisk was able to induce a grounder to Will Skidmore at third which wrapped up the frame and limited the damage to just one run.

Davidson would again add to his totals on the night when he smashed another multiple-RBI, extra-basehit to center as the Piedmont hitter stroked a triple to score Griffin Olson and Josh Bailey.  Olson had led off the inning with a single before Bailey moved him across drawing a walk, one of two on the night for the veteran who pushes his national leading total to 32 now on the year.  

After Davidson swept the bases clean, the PC first baseman scored on a wild pitch to make it now 7-2 as the Lions looked to blow the Friday night showdown wide open at the plate.  Piedmont would score five in the inning as Grabowski and Skidmore each picked up RBI-singles later in the inning to put five on the board in the Lions' 5th with five hits doing the damage.

Starting pitcher Matt Lisk would not need the seven-run advantage to finish the night as he would pitch seven complete with a work-man like night allowing four hits and just a pair of runs, only one of which was earned.  Lisk walked four and collected seven punch-outs on the night as he finished off his career in style giving his team a chance to take a big win over an old fashioned conference rival.

A pinch-hit double to the gap in right by freshman Terrance Worthy would bring home Grabowski in the Piedmont 7th to make it a 10-2 game just after the stretch at Loudermilk.  Grabowski had reached earlier in the inning on his own double to right center as the Lions reached double digits for the 7th time in a very offensive-minded year for the Green and Gold as PC is 7-0 in 2014 in such games.

With a lead firmly in hand, the ball would be turned over to Lisk's senior teammate, veteran Carl Allen who threw both the 8th and 9th innings in relief.  Allen allowed just one hit in the pair of scoreless innings as he shut the door emphatically catching Maryville's E.J. Estrada looking at strike three on a 2-2 pitch as the Lions came away with an 11-2 win after having added a run ithe bottom of the 8th.

Keith Grabowski was the leader at the plate with his four RBIs on 3-for-5 hitting while Breck Davidson drove in three of his own as both his basehits on the night went for extras, a double and a triple to his name.  Lisk picked up the win the mound to move to 5-1 this season as he likely finishes out a decorated Lions career in front of the home fans at Loudermilk.

With the win, Piedmont moves to 23-14 on the season assuring themselves of at least 23 wins in a season for the third time in the last four seasons.  Piedmont has finished a season with at least 20 wins in all but one season during the NCAA era, a 19-win season in 2007 the only blemish on that record.

The Lions host the Scots for game two of the three-game USA South series tomorrow at Loudermilk with first pitch set for 3:00 pm.  Coverage will be provided courtesy of the Mane Event Broadcasting Network which features a live video feed with integrated live stats in a showcase format through Sidearm Sports.