NEED TO KNOW:
Game 1 Score: Alfred 3, Piedmont 0
Game 2 Score: Piedmont 10, Illinois College 1
Records: Piedmont, 23-12; Alfred, 32-9; Illinois College, 25-14
 
EAU CLAIRE, Wis. – The Piedmont softball team began play in the NCAA Division III National Tournament on Friday afternoon, splitting a pair of games on day one to stay alive in the UW-Eau Claire Regional.

The Lions dropped their first game of the tournament 3-0 to the Saxons of Alfred University (NY) before responding with a resounding 10-1 win over Illinois College in an elimination game on Friday afternoon. 

Game 1: Alfred 3, Piedmont 0
 
The No. 5 seeded Lions battled against the No. 2 seed and 17th-ranked Saxons but were unable to generate much in the way of offense as Alfred's Jessica Wilcox was dominant in the circle, firing a complete game, one-hit shutout with 12 strikeouts.
 
The Lions and Saxons remained scoreless until the bottom of the third inning when Alfred pushed a pair of runs across against Piedmont starter EMMA MCBRAYER. 
 
After a leadoff single from Sydney Saucedo and a walk from Isabella Carrillo, a sac punt from Ashley Lugo set up an RBI sac fly from Alyssa Guitron and an RBI single from Tatiana Mejia to give the Saxons a 2-0 lead. 
 
Piedmont struggled offensively against Wilcox, who held Piedmont hitless through five innings. In the top of the sixth, a leadoff bunt single from REBEKAH STEGMAYER set the Lions up with their best scoring chance to that point. 
 
After a two-out walk to EMMA MCBRAYER, the Lions sent both LEXI CHITWOOD and HANNAH CALLAWAY out to pinch run with MACKENZIE DAVIS coming to the plate. Davis grounded out on a one-hopper back to Wilcox in the circle to end the threat and preserve the Saxons' lead. 
 
Alfred tacked on an insurance run to push its lead to 3-0 in the bottom of the sixth. Down to their final three outs, Piedmont's KARA TAYLOR drew a leadoff walk. However, Wilcox responded by striking out the next three Lions to preserve the shutout.

Game 2: Piedmont 10, Illinois College 1

Piedmont's bats came alive in game two after a muted performance in game one as the Lions tallied 10 runs and took care of the Illinois College Lady Blues 10-1 in dominating fashion. 

The Lions got started early with a pair of runs in the top of the first inning, then blew the lead open with a four-run top of the second inning to go up 6-0. In the second, a walk and throwing error allowed HANNAH SMITH to come home after just two batters for Piedmont's first run. Later, with two outs in the inning, three straight hits from KAITLIN ISLEY, KATELYN PERRY, and McBrayer each resulted in an RBI to push the lead to 6-0. Both hits from Perry and McBrayer went for extra bases. 

Piedmont struck big again in the fourth inning as Isley got the inning started with a double and scored on an RBI single from Perry in the next at-bat. Perry would later score on an error to put the Lions up 8-0. 

Later in the inning with two outs, pinch-hitter ANNA GARREN singled through the right side of the infield, scoring JENNA BROACH and Taylor to extend the Piedmont lead to 10-0. 

The Lady Blues would push across one run in the bottom of the fifth inning, but it wasn't enough to extend the game as the Lions advanced to play Saturday at 3:00 p.m. ET/2:00 p.m. CT. 

Piedmont starter MARTINA MALOCH earned the win in game two after allowing just three hits and no run sin her 3.1 innings pitched. MADISON WHITESIDE was steady in 1.2 innings of relief, only allowing three hits and one earned run. 

STANDOUT PERFORMANCES:
 - KATELYN PERRY was a perfect 4-for-4 in game two with a double, a pair of RBIs, and three runs scored to lead the Piedmont offense. 
- KAITLIN ISLEY was 2-for-3 at the plate versus the Lady Blues with three runs scored and an RBI. 
- Piedmont's defense did not commit an error in 12 innings of play on Friday. 
 
UP NEXT: 
- Piedmont advances to Saturday play and will take the field next at 3:00 p.m. ET/2:00 p.m. CT. Their opponent on Saturday will be determined by the results of the games between UW-Oshkosh and Southern Maine (10:00 a.m. CT) and between Alfred and Linfield (12:00 p.m. CT). 
 
HOW TO FOLLOW:
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