NEED TO KNOW:
Game 1 Score: N.C. Wesleyan 3, Piedmont 0
Game 2 Score: Piedmont 2, N.C. Wesleyan 0
Records: Piedmont, 21-11; N.C. Welseyan 20-16

DEMOREST, Ga. – Piedmont College's softball team showed great resilience in a tough situation on Saturday afternoon by winning game two of the best-of-three USA South Championship Tournament to force a deciding game three on Sunday at 1:00 p.m.
 
The Lady Lions were downed 3-0 in game one before claiming game two by a score of 2-0 to force a rubber match with the Battling Bishops.

N.C. Wesleyan's Beth Braswell was a star in the circle and at the dish in a game one shutout for the Battling Bishops.

Braswell fired a complete game shutout, allowing just three hits to a potent Piedmont offense while striking out six against zero walks. 

At the plate, Braswell went 3-for-4 with a run scored as all three runs by N.C. Wesleyan were unearned.

Piedmont starter EMMA MCBRAYER was outstanding, going all 7.0 innings and allowing six hits and zero earned runs. However, the Battling Bishops were able to take advantage of two Piedmont errors in the fourth inning to plate the only runs they needed in the three-run frame.

Down three with four at-bats left, the Lady Lions were unable to mount a rally, registering just two baserunners over the final four frames.

Despite the struggles in game one, Piedmont battled back to win game two behind a stellar pitching performance in the circle from MARTINA MALOCH.
 
Maloch went the distance and allowed just one hit and one walk while striking out six and blanking the Battling Bishops. It's the first scoreless outing for N.C. Wesleyan since April 10 versus Greensboro.
 
Game two went scoreless through four innings as Maloch dueled with N.C. Wesleyan's Grace Preston. The Lions broke the stalemate and plated their first run of the series in the top of the fifth inning when pinch-runner HANNAH CALLAWAY scored from third on a two-out single from MACIE ALLEN.
 
Callaway was running for MACKENZIE DAVIS who reached on a hit-by-pitch to lead off the frame.  
 
On the very next pitch following Allen's single, TK SAULS tripled deep into the left field corner to score Allen and put the Lions up 2-0.
 
That burst was enough run support for Maloch as she earned her ninth win of the season and put her Piedmont teammates on her back to force a game three.

STANDOUT PERFORMANCES:
 - MACKENZIE DAVIS was the lone Lion to get a hit in both games and set up the only two runs with her hit-by-pitch to start the fifth inning of game two.
- MACIE ALLEN and TK SAULS batted 8^th and 9^th in game two but registered the only two Piedmont RBIs in the series.
- Maloch faced just three batters over the minimum in her game two start and tied her season-high with six strikeouts.
 
UP NEXT:
- The deciding game three of the USA South Championship Series between Piedmont and N.C. Wesleyan will be tomorrow at 1:00 p.m. at the Walker Athletic Complex.
 
HOW TO FOLLOW:
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