NEED TO KNOW:
Game 1 Score: Huntingdon 5, Piedmont 1
Game 2 Score: Piedmont 6, Huntingdon 5
Records: Piedmont, 23-6 (11-1 USA South); Huntingdon, 22-12 (7-3 USA South)
 
DEMOREST, Ga. – The Piedmont College softball team held off Huntingdon in game two to earn a doubleheader split on Senior Day at the Walker Athletic Complex.
 
The Lady Lions (23-6, 11-1 USA South) were unable to overcome an early five-run deficit, falling, 5-1, in game one. Then, in game two, MARIANN KENNISON and REBEKAH STEGMAYER hit home runs and KORY BEST earned her second save in a 6-5 victory.
 
Game 1: Huntingdon 5, Piedmont 1
 
The Hawks jumped on Piedmont starter MELISSA ECKMAN early, scoring twice in the first and three more times in the second to chase her from the game.
 
Already trailing 5-0, KORY BEST entered with one out and two on in the second and escaped further trouble.
 
The Lady Lions were able to crack the scoreboard on HANNAH HOBAN's RBI single in the bottom of the third but stranded two more runners and were only able to score once in the frame.
 
Huntingdon starting pitcher Madison Hunt settled in after that, holding Piedmont to just two hits over the final four innings.
 
Best kept PC in the game, firing 5.2 shutout innings to close out the game.
 
Game 2: Piedmont 6, Huntingdon 5
 
Piedmont starter MADISON WHITESIDE started off the game strong, striking out two batters and retiring the side in order.
 
After the Lady Lions stranded one on.in the bottom of the first, the Hawks struck for a run in the top of the second. With a run already on the board and the bases loaded, DREW GRAHAM dove to her left to snag a line drive and doubled off the runner on second to help Whiteside escape the trouble.
 
PC's bats came alive in the bottom of the second, scoring four times on six hits and forcing Huntingdon to change pitchers twice.
 
Three straight singles from MADISON GARRETT, KATLYN ANDRIN and DREW GRAHAM allowed Piedmont to tie the score at 1-1.
Andrin then came in to score the go-ahead run on a wild pitch before REBEKAH STEGMAYER rounded the bases for an inside-the-park home run to give the Lady Lions a 4-1 edge.
 
Whiteside ran into trouble in the third, but once again, escaped thanks to a double play.
 
The Hawks parlayed three hits in the fourth inning into two runs to cut into PC's lead. However, Whiteside stranded two more in scoring position with a strikeout to end the threat and keep the Lady Lions the lead.
 
Piedmont immediately extended its lead on Kennison's sixth homer of the season, a two-run shot after Stegmayer reached on a bunt single.
 
Huntingdon recorded three more hits in the fifth, but Whiteside left the tying run at second base on a foul out to third base.
 
After Whiteside retired the Hawks in order in the sixth, Huntingdon cut PC's lead to one with one out in the seventh on Kaci Cochran's RBI double.
 
That set the stage for the senior Best, who inherited the tying run on second with one out and a one-run lead and retired the only two hitters she faced to earn the save.
 
Up next, the Lady Lions will take on Berry in a road doubleheader on Tuesday, April 9 at 12 p.m.
 
TURNING POINT:
- In game one, the Hawks tallied five runs on 10 hits in the first two innings and made it stand up in a 5-1 victory to hand PC its first conference loss of the season.
- After Huntingdon had cut Piedmont's lead to 4-3 in the top of the fourth in game two, MARIANN KENNISON's two-run blast to center field in the bottom of the frame gave the Lady Lions a 6-3 lead heading to the fifth.
 
STANDOUT PERFORMANCES:
- KORY BEST threw 4.1 shutout innings in relief of MELISSA ECKMAN in game one. Then, in game two, she entered with one out in the seventh and stranded the tying run on second base to earn the save.
- REBEKAH STEGMAYER went 2-for-3 with a with her first career inside-the-park-home run and scored two runs in game two.
- Kennison launched her team-leading sixth home run of the season as part of a two-hit effort in game two.
 
NEWS AND NOTES:
- Prior to the game, seniors MARIANN KENNISON, HANNAH HOBAN, LINSAY LINK, TAYLOR WARREN, Melisssa Eckman, KORY BEST, HALEY MCCURRY and ANNA LEE STONE were honored for their contributions to the program.
 
HOW TO FOLLOW:
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