Need to Know
Score: Piedmont 8, Pacific Lutheran 5
Records: Lions 6-2, Lutes 4-3
Location: Emerson, Ga.
EMERSON, Ga. - In the final game of the Early Spring Tournament, the Piedmont College baseball team may not have been inside Loudermilk Field but the magic was still at work in a comeback win over Pacific Lutheran 8-5. The Lions used a four-run seventh inning to claim the lead and another stellar effort by the bullpen led the charge.
The Lutes led with a run in the top of the first but it was short lived as
BRADY BALLSTADT doubled in the first to tie the contest.
JONATHEN BURKETT ground-out with the bases loaded but drove in Ballstadt as both runs in the first inning were unearned after a leadoff error.
Pacific Lutheran's Jacob Bockelie blasted his first homerun of the game in the third inning to make it 3-2, then again had a 2-run bomb in the fifth inning to increase the lead to 5-2.
BARRETT COURTWRIGHT entered in relief of starter
MAX BENING and tossed 2.1 innings allowing only one hit to the nine batters he faced.
BRYAN WHITACRE earned the win as he was the pitcher in when the Lions' offense erupted in the seventh inning for four runs. Ballstadt,
ZACHARY SWINDELL, and
EVAN MEADE all earned RBI in the frame with Ballstadt and Meade both hitting doubles.
Piedmont led 7-5 heading to the eighth where
CARTER BALLSTADT shut down the Lutes allowing just one hit before the Lions went right back to business on offense.
TYLER SHELEY singled and
ANDREW BURDEN doubled him home to make it 8-5 and it was once again
MATT VONDERSCHMIDT who closed out the contest with a pair of strikeouts to end it.
Turning Point
--Following the seventh inning stretch, the Lions reeled off four runs on three hits and an error to take the lead 7-5 heading into the final two innings.
Standout Performances
--Four Lions had two hit performances led by
ANDREW BURDEN's 2-for-3 day with two RBI, two runs scored and a pair of walks.
Inside the Box Score
--Piedmont's bullpen was stellar again, allowing just two hits over the final five innings of play.
News & Notes
--Piedmont has won four in a row and scored six or more runs in all six wins this season.
Up Next
--Piedmont hosts Washington and Lee University on Tuesday, February 19 at Loudermilk Field at 7 p.m. to start a five game home stand.
How to Follow
To stay up to date on all information regarding Piedmont College Athletics, be sure to visit PiedmontLions.com and connect with the Green and Gold on social media. Follow the Lions on Twitter: @PiedmontLions, Instagram: @PiedmontLions, and Facebook. To follow each Piedmont athletic program on social media, use the Social Media Directory at PiedmontLions.com or click here.
