Cary, N.C. – The Piedmont College baseball team played the second game of a three game series against fellow USA South Athletic Conference member William Peace University Saturday, but despite picking up eleven team hits and seven runs, the Lions dropped the decision 8-7 in 10 innings.
The extra-inning loss marks the first of its kind since the Lions dropped a 9-8 decision on March 12, 2013 to Covenant College in 11 innings.
The Pacers would jump out to an early 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first, but the Lions responded with their own four runs in the top of the second.
Senior
CASEY PARHAM put the first run of the series on the board for the Lions with an RBI single to score
ZACH LANGLEY. A
KEITH GRABOWSKI single then scored
TYLER MARCINKO to tie the game.
However, a costly error would extend the inning allowing Parham to score.
GRIFFIN OLSON picked up his only RBI of the day on a fly-out that scored Grabowski making the score 4-2 headed to the bottom of the second.
The Pacers proved their unwillingness to lose picking up a run in the bottom of the second, two more in the bottom of the third, and one more in the fourth inning to make the score 6-4 in favor of the hosting team.
The Lions called upon their bullpen to hold the Pacers and give them a chance to fight back into the game.
SETH GEORGE started on the mound for the Lions going three innings on eight hits and only two of his five runs were earned.
LUKE MACDONALD would come into the game for the fourth, fifth, and sixth innings giving up only three hits and one earned run.
Having 14 appearances on the year, this afternoon marked the 12th one for the senior in which he gave up one earned run or fewer, while also hurling 7.1 innings in his last four appearances giving up only seven hits and two earned runs.
ALLEN TOKARZ continued his dominance of the 2015 season throwing the seventh and eighth innings with no hits, no runs, no walks and two strikeouts. The junior conveys consistency giving up only three earned runs in his last 13 appearances tossing 21.1 innings striking out 19 opponents and giving up only 13 hits.
Parham picked up his second RBI of the day and 21st of the season in the top of the sixth to make it a one-run ball game headed to the seventh.
Davidson, who leads all Lions with now 31 RBI, tied the game in the seventh inning with a sacrifice fly that scored
WILL SKIDMORE. Skidmore finished the day 2-for-5 with two runs scored.
The Lions picked up the go-ahead run in the top of the ninth on another costly error by the Pacers. However, once again they would show their resiliency to lose in their last home series picking up one run in the bottom of the ninth and the walk-off in the tenth.
JOSH THOMAS (4-1) would inherit the loss on the mound for the Lions marking his first loss on the mound since March 14, 2014 in a 3-4 decision against Covenant College, which covered a span of 41.2 innings where the junior made 28 appearances including five wins and five saves.
Thomas still leads all Lions in ERA with a 1.63 showing followed by Tokarz with a 2.06 display.
Piedmont was led offensively by Marcinko, who finished the day 3-for-5 with two runs scored and also picked up his third triple of the 2015 season, and Parham, who went 3-for-4 with a run scored and a game-high 2 RBI.
The Lions fall to 14-12 in USA South Athletic Conference play and 18-13 overall, while the Pacers improve to 3-23 in conference play and 3-25 overall.
Game three will be played tomorrow afternoon at William Peace University with first pitch at 1 p.m. Fans are encouraged to visit PiedmontLions.com for all schedule changes and results for the Lions' baseball team. ?
