NEED TO KNOW:
Game 1 Score: Piedmont 8, Huntingdon 0 (F/5)
Game 2 Score: Piedmont 9, Huntingdon 1 (F/6)
Records: Piedmont, 20-10; Agnes Scott, 16-18
 
DEMOREST, Ga. – Piedmont College's softball team left no doubts about who the best team in the USA South West Division was in 2021 as the Lady Lions dominated the Huntingdon Hawks on Saturday afternoon to advance to the conference championship series.
 
Piedmont swept the doubleheader 8-0 (F/5) and 9-1 (F/6) to win the best-of-3 series in two games. Huntingdon's season ends with a 16-18 overall record after finishing 11-3 in conference play.
 
A huge seven-run third inning opened the offensive floodgates for the Lions in game one as Piedmont sent 11 batters to the plate and tallied eight hits in the inning.
 
REBEKAH STEGMAYER and KAITLIN ISLEY each singled to begin the inning before a flyball out from KATELYN PERRY advanced the pair into scoring position.
 
EMMA MCBRAYER bunted her way on with a single to third to load the bases, setting the stage for a two-RBI double from KARA TAYLOR to put Piedmont up 2-0. MACKENZIE DAVIS added an RBI single that went straight back to the pitcher before three straight two-out hits from HANNAH MORGAN, TK, Sauls and Stegmayer plated four more runs and pushed Piedmont's lead to 7-0.
 
Stegmayer's hit chased Huntingdon starter Lauren Melton from the game after just 2.2 innings pitched. Melton had shut the Lions out in a 1-0 win for Huntingdon earlier in the season.
 
Piedmont added the all-important eighth run in the next half inning on another RBI hit from Taylor. That RBI was made possible after pinch-runner HANNAH CALLAWAY stole both second and third base prior to Taylor's single.
 
McBrayer finished the Hawks off in the top of the fifth with a 1-2-3 inning to give Piedmont an 8-0 win in just five innings to start the series. McBrayer allowed just three hits and struck out four hitters in her winning effort. She also dished out zero walks for the third consecutive outing.
 
The Lady Lions were the visitors in game two of the postseason matchup and kept the bats going with two runs in the top of the first inning. Perry tripled to deep right filed to score Stegmayer before she scored on a KAYLEE WHITE fielder's choice to put the Lions up 2-0 early.
 
The Hawks took advantage of an error in the bottom half of the first inning to plate their first run, but it was all they could muster against another stout pitching performance, this time from MARTINA MALOCH.
 
Maloch allowed just six hits and that one unearned run in her outing while striking out two and walking zero after her offense continued to add run support.
 
The Lions scored three more runs in their half of the second inning, highlighted by a two-RBI single from MACIE ALLEN, to extend their lead to 5-1. They then added another run in the fifth on a leadoff home run from Perry that just cleared the right centerfield wall, making it 6-1 Piedmont.
 
Piedmont delivered the final blow of the series in the top of the sixth inning when five hits plated three runs thanks to RBIs from Isley, White, and Taylor. Maloch worked a clean bottom half to finish off the Hawks and clinch Piedmont's place in the USA South Championship Series.
 
STANDOUT PERFORMANCES:
 - KARA TAYLOR went 4-for-7 in the doubleheader and totaled four RBIs thanks in-part to three doubles.
- KATELYN PERRY did her thing yet again with two RBIs, a triple, and a home run in game two.
- MACKENZIE DAVIS went 4-for-5 on the day including a 3-for-3 performance in game two while totaling two runs and one RBI on the day.
- EMMA MCBRAYER and MARTINA MALOCH combined to pitch 11 innings and allowed just one unearned run on nine hits, six strikeouts, and zero walks issued.
 
UP NEXT:
- Piedmont will host next weekend's USA South Championship Series on May 8-9 versus the winner of this weekend's East Division Championship Series between N.C. Wesleyan and Pfeiffer. Game times will be determined once the series is set.
 
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.