Need to Know
Game 1: Piedmont 7, Adrian 4
Game 2: Piedmont 7, #5 Birmingham-Southern 6
Records: Lions 14-5 (3-3 USA South), Bulldogs 2-4, Panthers 15-3
Location: Demorest, GA - Loudermilk Field

Demorest, GA - The Piedmont College baseball team completed what could possibly be a season-defining weekend just before the midnight hour Saturday knocking off #5 Birmingham-Southern College 7-6 after a 7-4 win over Adrian earlier in the day.

With Piedmont's win over #18 Marietta on Friday evening, the win over top five Birmingham-Southern made it two wins over nationally ranked foes in as many days.  Adrian, whom the the Lions defeated in a three-run game earlier Saturday afternoon in a weather-packed schedule, is also receiving votes in the national poll.

In game one of the day for the Lions, Piedmont picked up a 7-4 victory against Adrian College in come from behind fashion. The Lions led it 3-1 after the third inning as GRIFFIN OLSON reached on a fielder's choice allowing JOSH TATE to score and EVAN GRESHAM singled to score BRADY BALLSTADT while an error added Olson scoring unearned. 

The two run lead was erased in the top of the seventh inning as the Bulldogs scored three heading into the stretch taking a 4-3 lead. The game-changer came when BRADY BALLSTADT powered one over the wall for a two-run home run with TYLER BURDETTE on base putting the Lions up 5-4.

Piedmont added a pair in the eighth inning with a MICHAEL BARNES double scoring Gresham and a JUSTIN GROOVER single scored Barnes. BEN MCCURLEY had a solid outing as the starter giving up seven hits and just one run while striking out four. 

In the nightcap, it was a match-up with top five Birmingham-Southern that looked to be too much for the Lions early on with the Panthers holding a 6-2 lead heading into the bottom of the 2nd courtesy of back-to-back three run innings.  

However, the Panthers would not score again on the evening as Piedmont began to chip away at the four-run advantage with GRIFFIN OLSON collecting three RBI singles over the next four innings joining BRECK DAVIDSON's RBI basehit in the 4th as Piedmont rallied to tie it up at 6-6 through five.  

From then on, it became a battle of relief with the Panthers' Easton Fuller and Piedmont's ALLEN TOKARZ combing to throw 6.1 in a contest where just one mistake may decide it. After Tokarz got out of the top of the 8th, Ross James would be called out of the Panther pen to start the home half as PC picked up a leadoff single from WILL SKIDMORE to put the go-ahead run on board with nobody out. 

A sac bunt from Olson, who went 4-for-4 with three RBIs and a run scored in the game, moved Skidmore into scoring position as BRECK DAVIDSON would be intentionally walked two batters later to put two on with one out for ZACH LANGLEY. 

Langley then chopped a James pitch down the third base line forcing third baseman Taylor McCracken to come up with the play, but McCracken's throw to first was low and allowed Skidmore to come around third and head across home plate for the go-ahead run.

With the lead now in hand for the 9th, everyone in Loudermilk and watching from home on the Mane Event Broadcasting Network knew who the ball would be handed to - none other than new career saves leader JOSH THOMAS.

After dragging across and scooping the ball up following his entrance from the pen in left, Thomas delivered a 1-2-3 inning for save number ten on the season and a win a for Piedmont over #5 Birmingham-Southern. The loss for the top five Panthers snapped an eight-game winning streak while Piedmont now owns six-game winning streak and a three-game winning streak in the series vs. BSC.

Turning Point
--A two-run home run by BRADY BALLSTADT put the Lions back on top as the freshman had a powerful shot over the wall putting the Lions ahead 5-4 as they never looked back in game one. 
--WILL SKIDMORE's leadoff single in the 8th of Piedmont's win over Birmingham-Southern put the Lions in position to take the lead for the first time on the night.

Standout Performances
--JOSH THOMAS set the career mark for saves in the NCAA Era at Piedmont with his 19th career save in game one as he now has ten this season and sits atop the NCAA in that category. 
--GRIFFIN OLSON raised his batting average from .206 to .250 with a 4-for-4 showing in the win over BSC collecting three RBI singles on the evening.

Inside the Box Score
--ALLEN TOKARZ picked up both wins on the day in relief moving his record to 3-0 as he tossed just shy of five innings.
--The unsung hero of the win over the Panthers has to be BRYAN WHITACRE who quietly threw an inning and two thirds of one-hit ball to keep the Lions within striking distance before getting to the Tokarz-Thomas KO combo.

News & Notes
--The Lions faced a pair of ranked teams this weekend in #18 Marietta and #5 Birmingham-Southern while also taking on Adrian College who is receiving votes. 
--Piedmont's weekend three-game sweep could catapult the Lions into consideration for Top 25 status in the new Division III poll which comes on Tuesday.

Up Next
Piedmont will take on Oglethorpe in Atlanta on March 15 with first pitch set for 7:00 p.m. 

How to Follow
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